MORE THAN 30 singers from Malvern St James Girls’ School travelled to London to take part in the premiere of Stari Most, a work about the tragedy of a community divided by racial hatred and war.
Written by renowned composer Richard Chew, Stari Most tells the story of the old bridge of Mostar which was built in 1566 at the height of the Ottoman Empire to link the steep gorge carved by the river Neretva.
It was destroyed in 1993 during the Bosnian War and re-opened in 2004 after being re-built.
For more than 400 years Mostar has hosted a diving competition off the bridge which links the Muslim and Croat sectors of the city.
The concert tells the story of the relationship between a Croat diver, Dino, and a Muslim woman, Alma.
The premiere of Stari Most took place at St John’s Church, Waterloo, with Mr Chew conducting the MSJ Singers, The Jenny Lind Singers and the London Graduate Orchestra.
The concert was in aid of The Sentry, a human rights charity which was founded by human rights and anti-corruption activist John Prendergast and actor George Clooney.
Despite an early start and a long day of rehearsals, the girls were very excited by the time of the concert.
In the impressive surroundings of St John’s Church, the girls joined the soloists and orchestra for a powerful performance which was enjoyed by a packed audience.
Headmistress Olivera Raraty said: “It was a wonderful evening and an amazing opportunity for the MSJ Singers.”
