What’s On: Street opera of 19th century operetta, Die Fledermaus performed across Merton and Wandsworth

A street opera will be performed across Merton and Wandsworth this week at various locations including shops, libraries and shopping centres.

Baseless Fabric is a Merton-based company which brings opera and theatre directly into public spaces and received funding to create an engaging street opera version of Johann Strauss’ 19th century operetta, Die Fledermaus.

This week will see performances from August 8-14 at Southside Shopping Centre, Morrisons in Mitcham, ASDA in Lavender Hill, Bayley & Sage in Wimbledon, Oxfam in Morden, Tooting Market and Roehampton library.

Baseless Fabric was the first organisation to receive funding from the Wimbledon Foundation’s Arts and Community Engagement to create this project.

As part of the project, they also worked with two young people’s groups from a primary and secondary school in partnership with Merton Music Foundation and local children’s charity Jigsaw4u to create and perform their own versions of the classic opera.

Joanna Turner, artistic director of Baseless Fabric said: “Our high street adaptation of Die Fledermaus will enable everyone to experience high quality professional opera.

“Our performances aim to change attitudes to the art form and encourage people to realise that opera can be fun and not elitist, expensive, boring or irrelevant as it can often be perceived.

“We passionately believe music and theatre have the power build community and transform society.”

Helen Parker, head of Wimbledon Foundation, said: “We are delighted to be supporting Baseless Fabric and the way in which they make opera accessible for everyone from the very youngest to the very oldest in our community.

“We’re very much looking forward to seeing people experience the pop-up opera performances as they are waiting for the bus or doing their shopping.”