Croydon launches its London Borough of Culture opening weekend

Croydon London Borough of Culture launched at the weekend, with Oratorio of Hope at Fairfield Halls by the London Mozart Players.

It was a two-night showcase putting Croydon’s talent at the heart of the performance.

The weekend involved an original eight-movement composition and an exciting range of local performers and collaborating partners.

Each movement of the Oratorio had a different focus, theme and set of performers alongside the orchestra.

These included dancers from Subrang Arts performing to music by Fiona Brice and featuring the traditional Indian instruments sitar, tabla and Indian flute.

The third had been created in workshops led by composer Sarah Freestone, with students from Riddlesdown Collegiate.

Movement four, also composed by Sarah Freestone, showcased a solo dancer from the Agudo Dance Company, and the fifth featured members of Croydon Voices Community Choir and Crisis Croydon’s Skylight Singers.

Afrobeats artist Silvastone performed a track written with Fiona Brice celebrating all things Croydon in movement six, and the final two movements featured young players from Croydon Music and Arts, with a grand finale featuring a mass chorus of 250 children from primary and secondary schools across Croydon.

Croydon will be hosting London Borough of Culture events until March 31, 2024.

Picture: Dancers at Croydon’s London Borough of Culture opening weekend. Picture: Lia Toby/PA Wire/PA Images