I'm delighted to have been accepted onto the Artist in Residence Fellowship Program 2025 at Akiyoshidai International Art Village, Japan. In November-December 2025, I will be researching and developing a new work for contemporary Noh vocalist Aoki Ryoko. The piece will focus on the story of Takahashi Mizu, one of the first female medical doctors in Japan, who overcame countless barriers to achieve her dream and open up the career for women.

About Akiyoshidai International Art Village: https://aiav.jp/en/11063/

秋吉台国際芸術村アーティスト・イン・レジデンス　フェローシップ・プログラム2025に入選していただいて大変嬉しいです。11月~12月に日本初の女医達の一人の高橋瑞を題材として能と現代音楽を融合させた能声楽家の青木涼子のために新曲を制作します。

​秋吉台国際芸術村について：https://aiav.jp/25006/

This autumn I will be collaborating with the London performing group of Streetwise Opera for Reimagining the Classics: a bold new project exploring classic operas from new perspectives.
More about the project can be found here on Streetwise Opera's website:                                               https://streetwiseopera.org/streetwise-opera-partners-for-reimagining/

Over 5 weeks, the London group and I will reimagine Leoncavallo's Pagliacci to create a new work inspired by the original. Together, we'll create new words and music, taking the story and characters in new directions to highlight what the performers want our modern-day audiences to reflect on. The Streetwise performers will then partner with English Touring Opera for a performance of the work co-created with myself and with composer Electra Perivolaris at Hackney Empire, London, April 2026.

Congratulations to everyone involved in the incredibly successful performances of Who is Molly Leigh? 50+ participants joined a creative team of 25 to co-create the immersive opera and perform 7 sold-out shows over 5 days in July 2025.

Feedback from participants and our 400-strong audience alike was glowing:
“I loved the collaborative feel of the project, the "can-do" attitude of all involved, the inclusiveness, & the opportunity to work alongside & be inspired by people with such a wide range of life experiences” (participant in Who is Molly Leigh?)
“Being part of an immersive show in this format has really opened my mind to what’s possible to do with local community-based theatre” (creative practitioner)
“Magic, creative, breath-taking” (audience response)
“Amazing show loved the musical elements and really loved the puppetry. It all worked really well together and felt cohesive and seamless. Thought provoking” (audience response)

Press on BBC
Review in the babababoon

Visit co-producer B.arts' website for more photos from the workshop & performances. Specials thanks to our funders and partners - Arts Council England, The Baring Foundation, The Esmèe Fairbairn Foundation, The National Lottery Community Fund, Contemporary Music for All, Vaughan Williams Foundation, The Hinrichsen Foundation, Stoke on Trent City Council & UK Government, and Stoke Creates as part of a bigger bid about cultural activity in Stoke town.

Wednesday 23rd July 2025: OPENING NIGHT for Who Is Molly Leigh!
Read more about the project on the BBC News website here:
 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c628y26n3zlo

As of today, the full run of the shows are SOLD OUT - clearly showing popular demand!

There is possibility of squeezing in a couple more here and there, so if you missed out, please do contact [email protected]

Our cast & crew have been working incredibly hard over the past couple of weeks to co-create this show. I'm excited for audiences to choose their routes through the story, uncovering the characters singing, acting, playing and puppeteering throughout the building!

Here's some sneak peaks from the rehearsals (credit: Holly Johnson)

"Who is Molly Leigh?" an immersive, community opera exploring the story of a Staffordshire woman accused of witchcraft. Audiences choose their own routes through the performance, 
uncovering tales about Molly told from the perspectives of women and those excluded by society for being 'different'. 

After a successful R&D in May 2024, I have been working with Gareth Mattey (writer), B arts and participating members of the local community to expand & develop the full work, to be performed in Stoke-on-Trent, 23rd-27th July 2025.

​More information and tickets here: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/b-arts/who-is-molly-leigh/e-ajxkgm

I will be pitching the "On an Endless Road" concert at Classical: NEXT music conference in Berlin, 14th May 2025. I'll be presenting the project to delegates from international festivals, concert halls and promoters with the aim of convincing them to programme it! 

See the link for further details:
https://classicalnext.com/event/on-an-endless-road

A selection of videos from On an Endless Road: Ito Noe and the Women Composers of her Time, performed at MUSICA Festival, Manchester, 8th March 2024.

Check out our promo video to get a feel for our dynamic concert which received a standing ovation on International Women's Day 2024 and watch the full performance of my song cycle written for the powerful biwa performer Akiko Kubota.

Produced by HERA: https://www.wearehera.uk/endless-road

​A new community opera from composer Francesca Le Lohé, writer Gareth Mattey and Stoke-on-Trent arts organisation B arts.

"Who Is Molly Leigh?" explores the legend of accused Burslem witch Molly Leigh from the perspective of women and those excluded from society for being 'different'. Through immersive music and storytelling, this promenade performance invites audiences to try discover who Molly really was and consider the 'witches' and 'accusers' of today.

More details: https://www.b-arts.org.uk/who-is-molly-leigh
Research & Development: 10th-12th May 2024
Full-length performances: July 2025