Ruth Mariner

Work

Selected Projects

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WlTCH

Writer | Royal Academy of Music 2022

WITCH was a one-act opera exploring the archetypal figure of the Witch across time, commissioned to celebrate the Bicentenary of the Royal Academy of Music. It tells the stories of two women — a 15th century healer accused of witchcraft; and a fifteen-year-old instagram Witch who embarks on a mission to avenge her ancestors through a battle against misogynist internet trolls. Witch represents a fun, contemporary and poignant approach to the figure of the witch as a site of female resistance. Told through opera ritual, digital projection and inspired by the occult poetry of Rebecca Tamaś.

Music: Freya Wayley-Cohen | Director: Polly Graham | Design: April Dalton | Video Design: Hayley Eagan

"A remarkable new work." — The Telegraph

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The Extraordinary Adventures of You and Me

Writer & Director | English Touring Opera 2020

An interactive opera created for SEND schools, created in collaboration with The National Star College. When Mackenzie gets distracted on a trip to the museum, they journey through space and time to find themselves somewhere very different indeed. Yet, through the power of imagination and the help of some unusual friends, they unlock a way for everyone to head out of the classroom and discover a brand new type of learning adventure.

Created for SEND schools across the UK, York theatre Royal, Snape Maltings, and Poole Lighthouse. (Some dates cancelled due to COVID-19).

Music: Omar Sharyar | Design: Kate Lane | Movement/Assistant Direction: Rebecca Meltzer

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Fairy Queen — Purcell

Writer & Director | Waterperry Opera Festival 2019

When I was commissioned to create a reimagining of Purcell’s Fairy Queen, I decided to base my concept on research into the folklore origins of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night's Dream. Creating new narrative material around the fairies, this production brought into focus the relationship between man and nature, forming an exploration into the nature-celebrations and traditions that we have now lost. Weaving together layers of masque, ritual, and storytelling, this project combined the music of Purcell with the natural magic of outdoor theatre-making.

Conductor: William Cole | Design: Simon Berger | Movement Direction: Karina Casiano

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Writer & Director | National Maritime Museum 2018, Museum of London Docklands 2017

Liquid History

Liquid History is a vocal & movement piece which reveals the story of London through five objects found on the Thames Shore. It explores themes of social transformation, importance and change.

Aimed at families, it features an a capella opera chorus who become the river itself through storytelling, song and physical theatre.

Commissioned by the Museum of London Docklands, produced by Gestalt Arts with Totally Thames Festival, Reading Water Festival and Waterman's Arts Centre. Created with mudlark Nick Stevens the people and children of Southend (through Metal Culture). Revised in collaboration with The National Maritime Museum.

Funded by Arts Council England and PRS for Music. Film available on request.

Winner Stephen Oliver Award 2018

Composer: Sarah Dacey | Design: Kate Lane | Movement: Yuriria Fanjul

a Shoe Full of Stars

Director | Lawrence Batley Theatre 2018

A Shoe Full of Stars is an opera/musical which explores the impact of extremist violence on young people. It was created collaboratively with young people at North Huddersfield Trust School who were impacted by the 2017 Manchester Arena Bombings.

Through political theatre interwoven with magic realism, irreverent humour, and a genre mash up of musical styles, we worked with the young people to craft a unique performance around their response — “It’s okay to be scared, it's okay to talk about being scared, and young people see, hear, think and feel much more than adults realise.”

Created with anti-terrorist organisation The Active Change Foundation, The Oxford Centre for the Retraction of Intractable Conflict and West Yorkshire Police. Supported by The Opera Awards Foundation, York University, and Arts Council England

The production was featured on Channel 4 News.

A Shoe Full of Stars won ‘Best Opera’ at the Young Audience Music Award 2018, powered by RESEO.
Opera Award Foundation Bursary 2017.

The young people received The Ashbrow Ward and Birkby Community Hub Young Volunteers of The Year Award 2018 for their work.

Composer: Omar Sharyar | Design: Emma Williams | Movement: Lizzie Shakespeare

Unsung Heroes of The Planet is an environmental folk opera exploring the magic of tree communication. An interactive narrative adventure which takes the audience deep beneath the soil to celebrate the myriad ways we are all connected. Told through an eclectic score infusing contemporary choral music, folk and counterculture music of the 70’s.

Piloted in collaboration with Cardiff University and the British Ecology Society, and Einstein's Garden and was performed Green Man Festival 2017.

Programmed for the launch of a new gallery The Eden Project in 2018, as part of Julie’s Bicycle’s Season For Change.

Composer: Cameron Dodds | Designer: Christine Hornsved

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Four Stories about Welcoming

Director | Opera Holland Park 2018

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Unsung Heroes of the Planet

Writer & Director | Eden Project 2017/18

Four Stories about Welcoming was part of Refuge in Harmony — a programme which invited 40 newly arrived unaccompanied minors from around the world to Opera Holland Park, welcoming them to settle into their new community through opera.

The performance was devised collaboratively over four weeks, culminating in the creation of a set of surreal vignettes which explored ideas around welcoming, identity, and the power of acts of radical acts of kindness. Performed alongside professional opera singers in a mix of languages including Farsi, Oromo, and Pashtu.

With sound design and score collaboratively composed by Laura Bowler | Design: Amy Mitchell

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Rigoletto

Director | Clyde Opera Group 2017

A retelling of Verdi's classic story of jealousy, vengeance and sacrifice. Setting the action in 2008 within London's square mile, this production explored the dangers toxic masculinity, in a fast-paced world ruled by money and ruthless, powerful men.

Conductor: Razvan Luculescu | Design: Patti Amatt

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Narkissus and the Reflektions

Writer | Clore Studio, Royal Opera House & Lizst Academy, Budapest 2015/16

Narkissus and The Reflektions is a contemporary reworking of the Greek myth told from the perspective of a dead boyband. Exploring contemporary pop culture and the concept of the 'mega fan,' this work asks the question 'Is infatuation with another merely a mirror into our own longing?'

Composer: Laurence Osborn | Director: Martin Lloyd-Evans

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Colony

Writer | Youth Opera Chorus, Linbury Studio Theatre, Royal Opera House, 2015

Created collaboratively with the Royal Youth Chorus, this production looked at the patterns and parallels between human and insect societies. Are we really so unique? Or are we simply another manifestation of a greater intelligence?

Composer: Evan Kassof | Co-writer: Alexander Hut Kono | Conductor: Jessica Cottis | Director: Karen Gillingham

Nabucco

Director | Newbury Corn Exchange, 2014

Verdi's Biblical epic, exploring themes of power, exile and spiritual transformation. Performed with professional soloists and community chorus in Newbury, Berkshire.

Designer: Phillipa Nichols

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Clive and Other Stories

Director | Gestalt Arts, Asylum, 2014

Narkissus and The Reflektions is a contemporary reworking of the Greek myth told from the perspective of a dead boyband. Exploring contemporary pop culture and the concept of the 'mega fan', this work asks the question ‘is infatuation inherently narcissistic?’

Composer: Laurence Osborn | Director: Martin Lloyd-Evans

La Bohème

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La Bohème

Director | Newbury Corn Exchange 2013

Puccini's classic tale of bohemian artistry, tragedy and toxic love. Performed with professional soloists and community chorus in Newbury, Berkshire.

Designer: Phil Hallam

The Daisy Chain

A Sign in Space