Saturday 13th June, Durham Cathedral.
Saturday 20 June, Middlesbrough Cathedral.

Young people from County Durham and Middlesbrough join with local singers and professional musicians to celebrate the 800th anniversary of Magna Carta through words and music. The main themes of equality before the law, democracy, and freedom have been woven together by composer Timothy Craig Harrison and librettist Paul Hodgson, to create The Great Charter, a new opera spread across two periods in time: that of 13th-century King John and a futuristic totalitarian state controlled by the Protector.

Tickets (Durham Cathedral): £15, £10 & £8 (£13, £8 & £6 concessions, under 16s free) available from the Gala Theatre Box Office www.galadurham.co.uk or 03000 266600.

Tickets (Middlesbrough Cathedral): £10 (£8 concessions, under 16s free) available from the Gala Theatre Box Office www.galadurham.co.uk or 03000 266600.

St Mary’s Cathedral is the Mother Church of the Catholic community in the Diocese of Middlesbrough and seat of Bishop Terence Patrick Drainey.

Durham Cathedral is located at the heart of the Durham UNESCO World Heritage Site and is the seat of the Bishop of Durham. It is renowned as the Shrine of St Cuthbert and the resting place of the Venerable Bede. Free entry for all.

In partnership with Durham County Council, made possible with support of the David Boardman Trust.