More than 1,000 Surrey singers aged from seven to 70 have come together to mark Magna Carta’s 800th anniversary before royalty at one of the world’s most iconic concert venues.
Schoolchildren, youth groups and choirs have been busy rehearsing for a performance of The Freedom Game at at the Royal Albert Hall next Tuesday (12 May) in front of Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Wessex.
The concert, organised by Surrey County Council*, will see them perform Magna Carta-inspired songs celebrating democracy, liberty and freedom.
Songs from the opera are also expected to be performed at an event being attended by the Queen at Runnymede on 15 June to celebrate the historic charter’s sealing.
Surrey County Council’s Cabinet Member for Community Services Helyn Clack said: “This is a momentous occasion to celebrate a historic moment locally, nationally and internationally, offering young and old alike a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to perform on one of the world’s grandest stages.”
In the video and audio clips below, singers rehearse The Eight Freedoms.
The plot of the opera focuses on the children of a Surrey family, who challenge a dictator to a game in a bid to win back their freedom. It features 17 songs – including A Few Shining Lights, Dead Liberty and The Freedom Game – in a performance lasting more than 90 minutes.
A few tickets remain. Contact the Royal Albert Hall box office on 0845 401 5034 or online at www.royalalberthall.com.
Schools, youth groups and choirs involved:
All Aloud Community Choir, Leatherhead
Bletchingley Community Choir
Crawley Ridge School, Camberley
Earthly Voices Community Choir, Esher
High Notes Choir, Camberley
Just So Singers, Frimley
Lakeside Primary School, Camberley
Marist Catholic Primary School, West Byfleet
Park Mead School, Cranleigh
Rowledge C of E Primary School, Farnham
Shawfield Primary School, Ash
Sing Spelthorne, Ashford
Springfield Primary School, Shepperton
St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, Guildford
The Grove Primary School, Camberley
Wonersh and Shamley Green School, Shamley Green, near Guildford
Epsom Youth Theatre
StopGap Guildford Youth Group
St Cuthbert’s Catholic Primary School, Englefield Green
St Jude’s C of E Junior School, Englefield Green
The Freewheelers Theatre Company, Leatherhead
The Hermitage School, Woking
The Orpheus Centre, Godstone
Tillingbourne Junior School, Chilworth, near Guildford
Winston Churchill School, Woking
Yvonne Arnaud Youth Theatre, Guildford
Zambesi Dance Company, Camberley
Kings International College, Camberley
Surrey County Council staff choir
Cranford Park Primary School, Yateley
* Through its Surrey Arts music service.
Surrey News 
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