We are bringing our pioneering health and arts initiative, Breath Cycle, to the stage with two special evenings of live performance at The Beacon, Greenock (31 January), and Glasgow’s Tron Theatre (1 February).
These intimate performances showcase the transformative powers of daily practice in breath control and vocal training for individuals suffering from a range of lung conditions, as well as supporting them to share their lived experience of coping with often life limiting lung conditions, through a series of song writing workshops.
The intention is to support people in their journey to reclaim their physical and mental resilience. Award-winning composer Gareth Williams and writer Martin O'Connor lead an exceptional ensemble featuring Admiral Fallow's Louis Abbott, operatic tenor David Douglas, and actor-songwriter Frances Thorburn, accompanied by violin, cello, and piano, who will perform their renditions of a selection of the songs that have been created during the workshops over the past three years.
Breath Cycle was originally developed in 2013 by us and Glasgow’s Gartnavel General Hospital West of Scotland Adult Cystic Fibrosis Unit, to explore whether building lung capacity and developing breath control as part of a daily vocal routine could prove beneficial to the physical and mental health and wellbeing of patients.
We repurposed the project during lockdown to offer support to people struggling with the debilitating effects of Long COVID. Since Autumn 2021, nearly 500 people from Scotland and across the world have taken part in the Breath Cycle sessions mentored by our artists, and over 3000 individuals have accessed the online resources freely available from our website to use at home at their own convenience.
Breath Cycle: A Story of Healing is supported by The Scottish Government, Cruach Trust, The Murdoch Forrest Charitable Trust and Scottish Opera's Education Angels.
Tickets, priced £5 to £10 (pay what you can) are available now from our website: www.scottishopera.org.uk/shows/a-story-of-healing-breath-cycle-on-stage/