A composer from Calne is preparing for the premiere of a newly commissioned opera in Munich this weekend.
Brett Dean, a Calne resident and Patron of the Calne Music & Arts Festival, is currently in Germany rehearsing his newly commissioned opera Of One Blood, which will debut at the Bayerische Staatsoper on Sunday 10th May. Dean plays an active role in the town’s cultural life, regularly performing and organising chamber music events as part of the festival alongside his wife, artist Heather Betts.
The opera explores the relationship between Mary Stuart and Elizabeth Tudor, drawing on the historic correspondence between the two queens. Though their lives were closely linked, the two never met, with their story shaped by rivalry, power and political conflict during a turbulent period of Tudor history.
The libretto has been written by Betts, alongside Helen Simmonds, using original letters and other 16th century sources. Both will be at the premiere. Dean’s daughter, mezzo-soprano Lotte Betts-Dean, is also part of the production.
Of One Blood has been co-commissioned by leading international opera companies including the Bayerische Staatsoper, Garsington Opera, The Santa Fe Opera and State Opera South Australia, and is due to receive its UK premiere in 2028.
Dean is an internationally recognised composer and former member of the Berlin Philharmonic, where he performed as a violist for 14 years before focusing on composition. He has previously described returning to work with the orchestra as “a dream come true”, saying the experience has remained part of his musical “DNA”.
The premiere comes as Calne prepares to welcome visitors from its twin town of Eningen over the same weekend, linking local cultural activity with international events.
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