Author: Ben Kaye - Librettist, Co-founder
Tags: Anya17, documentary film, Film, Humam Trafficking Foundation. STOP UK, Human Trafficking Foundation, sex trafficking, Trafficking, TV, UN.GIFT, Unchosen, United Nations, Unseen UK
May 19th 2013
Essential Viewing…
New Documentary exploring grooming and Sex Trafficking…
Author: Ben Kaye - Librettist, Co-founder
Tags: Anya17;Sex Trafficking;Human Trafficking;opera;contemporary opera;Opera Parallèle;San
April 7th 2013
USA PREMIERE FOR ANYA17
We would like to announce that the USA premiere of the award-winning opera Anya17 has been confirmed for June next year.
Anya17 will be performed in San Francisco by Opera Parallèle over June / July 2014, highlighting the very serious contemporary issue of Human Trafficking on the West Coast.
California is a top destination for Human Trafficking in the United States, and within California itself, the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles have the highest rates of Human Trafficking.
Anya17’s Composer Adam Gorb expressed his horror over the US Trafficking statistics, and said that “This is very exciting news. I’m thrilled that this work which is dealing with a world-wide problem is now reaching audiences around the globe.”
In addition to those Trafficked into the USA from foreign countries every year, an estimated 100,000 children in The States today are victims of Sex Trafficking within US borders, with another 200,000 at risk. The victims are primarily adolescent girls between the ages of 12 and 16. The average age of entry for children deceived and coerced into the sex trade is a mere 12 years. Approximately 80% of human trafficking victims are women and girls and up to 50% are minors.
Anya17’s Librettist Ben Kaye added “Whilst these statistics are truly appalling, numbers simply cannot convey the victims’ suffering; Statistics don’t let us look into their eyes. When their stories are told, we hope that legislators and members of the public alike will be moved to act.”
Anya17 received its UK premiere with The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Ensemble 10/10 in 2012, following which the opera won the ‘Best Stage or Film Production’ Award at The House of Commons, presented by the Human Trafficking Foundation with the support of The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Human Trafficking.
Author: Ben Kaye - Librettist, Co-founder
Tags: adam gorb, anti-slavery, Anti-Slavery International, Anya17, ben kaye, contemporary opera, Humam Trafficking Foundation. STOP UK, Human Trafficking, Opera, R.N.C.M. Royal Nothern College of Music, sex trafficking, Trafficking, UN.GIFT, Unchosen, Unseen UK
March 11th 2013
Fully Staged World Premiere for Anya17!
- Kammerspiele des Meininger Theater
I am delighted to announce that Anya17’s fully-staged World Premiere has been confirmed for this November in Germany!
Anya17 will be performed amidst the stunning landscape of Thuringia at Kammerspiele des Meininger Theater in Meiningen with a Cast from Theater Meiningen. The run will start on November 28th 2013 and finish on February 8th 2014.
The Meiningen Court Orchestra is one of the oldest and most tradition rich orchestras in Europe. Founded in 1690 by Duke Bernhard I, this elite 70-strong Orchestra has attracted Composers such as Johannes Brahms and Musical Direction from such luminaries as Hans von Bülow, Max Reger and Richard Strauss. The visionary Philippe Bach has been the Music Director since 2010.
The confirmed dates so far are:
Nov 28th 2013, Dec 8th 2013, Dec 14th 2013, Jan 10th 2014, Feb 8th 2014.
I need not say how excited we all are to hear the news of this run, and we hope to bring you news of performances in other countries soon!
Author: Anna Celeste Watson - Web Designer
Tags: anti-slavery, Anti-Slavery Day Media Awards, contemporary opera, Human Trafficking Foundation, sex trafficking
November 2nd 2012
Anya17 Wins ‘Best stage or film production dealing with human trafficking’ at the Anti-Slavery Day Media Awards 2012
It is with great pleasure that I can officially announce here that Anya17 has won the award for ‘Best stage or film production dealing with human trafficking’ at the Human Trafficking Foundation Media Awards 2012 which were recently held at the Speaker’s House in London on 17th October, on the eve of Anti-Slavery Day.
I feel very unworthy of announcing this fantastic news here on our blog, but as the Composer Adam Gorb, Librettist Ben Kaye and Director Caroline Clegg more than deserve a break after all their hard work and the excitement of the awards, I am posting up some photos from the night and look forward to more news from Ben soon.
Ben wrote on Facebook very late on the night of the awards “If I look shell-shocked then that’s because I was – I had absolutely no idea that we might possibly win” and he left a phone message for Stu and I (Stu designed the Anya17 logo and I created the website) on the awards night with a long pause on the answerphone, finally saying in his usual modest tone and sounding very shocked indeed “We’ve only gone and won the bloomin thing!”.
I personally had no doubt whatsoever of course that Anya17 would win, and am absolutely thrilled for Ben, Adam, Caroline and the fantastic cast for their talent and dedication, but of course more importantly we hope it will raise even more awareness about sex trafficking, and open up more opportunities for further Anya17 performances in the UK and worldwide…
You can view the full list of award winners here: http://www.antislaveryday.com/awards
Author: Ben Kaye - Librettist, Co-founder
Tags: Anti Slavery Day Awards, anti-slavery, contemporary opera, Human Trafficking, Human Trafficking Foundation
September 19th 2012
Anya17 shortlisted for the Anti Slavery Day Awards 2012
I couldn’t be more delighted to let you know that Anya17 has been shortlisted for the 2012 Anti Slavery Day Awards to be held at The Houses of Parliament on October 17th 2012.
The Awards, created by The Human Trafficking Foundation and backed by Officers of The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Human Trafficking, were set up to recognise those who have contributed most to raise public awareness of Human Trafficking.
Anya17 is amongst some very stiff competition, which in other Awards ceremonies might not be such good news. Since Anya17 however was written purely to raise awareness of Human Trafficking, this is a win-win situation for the cause, and to have been shortlisted is a great honour.
I can’t thank everyone for this – there are so many people who have worked so hard and for so long to bring Anya17 to life that a list of names (like those of the victims) would be just meaningless. Let me just say then that “you know who you are” and that without even one of your contributions, the project would have been meaningless. Thank you so much.
So, what about the future? It seems we’re off to Romania in 2013 to help raise awareness in a country which is the overwhelmingly recognised ‘starting point’ for the majority of Trafficking victims to the UK. I really hope we can bash some political heads there and make a difference. Germany is also looking promising. We are currently fielding enquiries from the USA and have recently been featured in magazines from such far flung corners of the world as South Korea. Only time will tell.
Until next time – Ben.
Author: Alan Bryant - Digital Marketer
Tags: Anya17, human rights t-shirts
March 11th 2012
Anya17 T-Shirt Competition Winner Announced
So the first two performances of Anya17 took place last week and were a great success, big thanks to everyone who made it along to the performances and everybody’s support. Last week we ran a competition where we offered you the chance to win one of the fantastic Anya17 T-Shirts designed by Stu Jones.
Well that competition ended last night and it is now time to announce our winner. Thank you to everyone who entered.
Q: Who plays the lead role of Anya in the opera Anya17?
A : Andrea Tweedale
We had many entries, all of which were put into a hat and the persons name who was drawn out first was the winner. So congratulations to Alex Wishiki you have won! Please get in touch with us at ‘info@anya17.co.uk‘ to claim your prize.
Author: Ben Kaye - Librettist, Co-founder
Tags: adam gorb, Anya17, BBC, ben kaye, Ensemble 10/10, Human Trafficking, Liverpool, Opera, Premiere, sex trafficking, Stop The Traffik
March 8th 2012
Anya17 Premieres!
Well, goodness me and where to begin? Stunning premiere performances all round at The Philharmonic Hall last night in Liverpool and it currently looks like we’re heading for a sell-out in Manchester tomorrow night.
There hasn’t really been any time at all yet to stop and reflect, but the congratulatory emails have been pouring in ever since ‘curtain down’, and I just hope that the Cast are aware of the immense contributions they have made. The Ensemble 10/10 were infallibly brilliant despite an almost impossibly tight rehearsal schedule, and the wonderful performance coaxed from them by Clark Rundell was a tribute both to his inspirational vision and to the nsemble 10/10’s unshakable, consummate professionalism.
We’ll hopefully get some posts soon from these terrific singers, but until then let me leave you with this; coverage from the brilliant BBC just prior to the Anya17 world premiere last night…
BBC TV Coverage on day of Anya17 Premiere
Ben Kaye, Librettist
Author: Hayley Chappell - Online Marketer
Tags: Anya17, Opera, R.N.C.M. Royal Nothern College of Music, RNCM, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, stu jones
March 5th 2012
Win an Anya17 T-Shirt
It’s premiere week at Anya17 and while the cast and musicians have the final few rehearsals you could be in with a chance to win one of the fantastic Anya17 T-Shirts designed by Stu Jones.
To be in with a chance to win a T-Shirt all you need to do is answer this simple question:
Q: Who plays the lead role of Anya in the opera Anya17?
The answer can be found on the website at www.anya17.co.uk. If you know (or find!) the answer, simply comment on this post with your answer. (All comments are approved before they appear on the blog so no comments relating to this post will be approved until after we have revealed the answer and announced a winner.)
Competition closes Saturday 10th March 2012.
Read Stu Jones’ original post revealing the truth behind the T-Shirt design.
Winners will have the choice between a T-Shirt with the full back design or with the front logo only.
We will also be running a Twitter only competition which we will announce details of later this week!
Author: Alan Bryant - Digital Marketer
Tags:
March 1st 2012
Selection of photos from Anya17 rehearsals
Here is a selection of photos taken at a recent Anya17 rehearsal at the RNCM in Manchester.
Author: James Shilton - Photographer & Film Maker
Tags:
February 22nd 2012
Anya17 Rehearsals with an orchestra
At the rehearsals I attended on Friday 17th February an orchestra was there to help the singers along and bring everybody up to speed on the Opera.
Heres a video produced from the evening. Thanks to Jonnie Khan for helping with the sound side of things, Im pretty happy with the results.
Adam Gorb - Composer, Co-founder 
Caroline Clegg - Director 
Stu Jones - Graphic Designer 
"I saw this performance last night at the RNCM. It was an incredibly powerful and moving piece. The words were hard hitting and evocative and the music brought out every possible emotion, from tenderness to brutal violence. The direction was sensitive and led the audience through implication using strong elements of physical theatre without being graphic or gratuitous. The young singers handled the challenging score admirably and the orchestra were superb. This thought provoking opera deserves a much wider platform as it demonstrates how modern opera can, and should be used."
Carolyn
March 10, 2012 at 11:27 am |