Persona Arts: reimagining opera to reflect diversity
Persona Arts, a fledgling charity striving to stage high-quality opera and choral arts for the communities of the West Midlands, has put on a wonderful reimagining of The Flying Dutchman as an ethnically-diverse production.
The brainchild of Byron Jackson, Artistic Director of Persona Arts, the ‘Flying Dutchman Community Opera Project’ is a powerful example of how opera can be reimagined to reflect the diversity of the communities it should serve. This ambitious debut project was realised through Byron's tireless efforts, as he raised over £100,000 to bring it to life.
Deeply rooted in the West Midlands, the project brought together professional artists, volunteers, schools and community leaders to semi-stage an interpretation of Wagner's The Flying Dutchman at the highest artistic level. Over the course of two years, more than 280 people took part and over 1,000 spectators were reached – almost 50% of them from ethnically diverse backgrounds, many of whom were experiencing opera for the first time.
Workshops and rehearsals took place in local churches and venues in Birmingham, including Smethwick and Small Heath – neighbourhoods with high socio-economic disadvantage. The foundation was laid through inclusive choral workshops, followed by a masterclass led by Susan Bullock CBE. This offered six up-and-coming singers – two-thirds of them from ethnically diverse groups – valuable experience in the Wagner repertoire.
The final production at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire's Bradshaw Hall featured 66 performers, including a volunteer community choir with 20% ethnically diverse singers and 3% non-binary voices, singing in German and mostly singing in opera for the first time. Accompanied by the Central England Camerata under the direction of Jack Ridley, the staging was carried out by Iqbal Khan, Artistic Director of the Commonwealth Games 2022. The performances began with Mami Wata, a new children's piece by Bobbie-Jane Gardner, inspired by African folklore about the sea and performed by a children's choir from St. Mary's Church, Handsworth – a powerful cultural contribution to the opera space.
Despite challenges – limited resources, technical limitations and performance conflicts with another opera house – the team responded innovatively, including the creative use of a ‘ghost chorus’ of archival footage to support the live performance.
The production was highly acclaimed by critics, receiving high praise from The Guardian, The Wagner Journal and What's On Live, personal recognition from His Majesty the King, and getting shortlisted for Best New Project for Making Music Awards 2025. It was more than a performance – it revived local interest in choral music, attracted new audiences, and laid the foundation for future educational programs in schools.
You can watch a recording of this production on YouTube:
As the first major project of a new cultural foundation, the Flying Dutchman Community Opera Project has proven that ALL opera can be inclusive, democratic and transformative. It exemplifies musical excellence, social commitment and cultural relevance – and redefines opera as a living art form that reflects and belongs to the diversity of society.
To learn more about Persona Arts, visit their website and follow them on Facebook / Instagram / X
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