Join us for free live performances, and be part of a special film recording, of an especially Brummie woman.life.song – a universal story of womanhood by composer Judith Weir, with words by Maya Angelou, Clarissa Pinkola Estés, and Toni Morrison, created for Birmingham Weekender.

In the late 1990’s American star soprano Jessye Norman made a call to the Birmingham Copthorne Hotel. On the other end of the line was British composer Dame Judith Weir. “How would you like to write a solo concert work for me?”… And so, with luminary writers Maya Angelou, Clarissa Pinkola Estés and Toni Morrison, woman.life.song was born, later premiering at Carnegie Hall New York in 2000. 25 years later and in association with Kiri Te Kanawa Foundation (UK) and Arts Council England, Birmingham Opera Company bring the work home.

Join as an audience member on an extraordinary journey into Judith Weir’s woman.life.song filled with Brummie pride and talent as chorus, actors, dancers, star soloists Gwen Ann Rand and Madison Nonoa and cracking creative team led by director Madeleine Kludje and conductor Alpesh Chauhan OBE.

Age Guidance: 12A – Please note: This event will be filmed. By attending, you give consent for you and your party to be filmed and included in the recording.

Click here to book*

*Please note, booking opens on Wed 20 Aug 2025 at 12 noon.

woman.life.song comes home is part of Birmingham Opera Company at Birmingham Weekender, which also features pop-up opera performances at the festival – find out more here.