A 1,000-seater big-top in the grounds of Harewood House will be the dramatic setting for a re-staging of Carnival Messiah: a symbolic commemoration of the Bicentenary of the Abolition of the Slave Trade.

The backdrop of Harewood House, built in the mid-18th century with money made from the sugar trade, brings an extraordinary resonance to Carnival Messiah which has its origins in Trinidad & Tobago and the Leeds Carnival, one of the earliest Caribbean Carnivals in the UK which celebrates its fortieth anniversary in 2007.

Carnival Messiah is an ambitious, large-scale piece of theatre with a cast of over 100 including a chorus to be recruited from the community of Leeds at open auditions on April 21 at Opera North's rehearsal studios. The 20 performances will include a new element of 'J'ouvert', extending the show into the car-park and grounds before audiences reach their seats.

In addition to having the chance to perform, the community cast will have access to a new and extensive education, skills and training programme, making participants aware of the many cultural heritages the show draws upon - their own and other peoples. Funded by Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) this will be a further development of Harewood's HLF supported education programme, which targets new audiences and works with all sections of the community.

Harewood House has a long musical heritage. John White, Music Master at Harewood, conducted the massed choirs for the famous performance of Handel's Messiah in York

Minster in 1823 and his annotated score was recently discovered in the Library at Harewood. In his diaries, William Wilberforce remembers singing at a Harewood soiree in 1796, accompanied on the piano by the then Lady Harewood. The present Lord Harewood is a major figure in 20th century music in Britain. He has been Director of the Edinburgh Festival, Managing Director of English National Opera and one of the founders of Opera North. One of his more unusual recent musical experiences was feeling the furniture in his apartment in Harewood House shake as Massive Attack and The Who began their sets at last year's O2 Festival.

Carnival Messiah is another chapter in Harewood's rich and varied musical history.

David Lascelles, talking about Carnival Messiah at Harewood:

'There is no more comprehensive, more multi-dimensional, more exuberant expression of Caribbean culture in Britain today than "Carnival Messiah" - a two- hour spectacular musical showcase that blends the excitement, music and colour of carnival with some of the most inspiring melodies of Handel's Messiah in an exhilarating musical and theatrical celebration.'

Geraldine Connor:

'I originally conceived Carnival Messiah as a way of bringing together people of different backgrounds, ethnicities and creeds. What better way to do that, I thought, than through media that are universal to us all - art, theatre, dance and music - and in so doing help to move towards a better understanding of the shared heritages of Europe and the Caribbean.

In its new form at Harewood in 2007 I hope it can create in the performers and audiences new to the show a transformation that can take us all to a new space, a new dimension, a new understanding and give us a new hope.'

The general public should contact This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it , or 0113 218 1010 for further details.

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A new image created for Carnival Messiah at Harewood has been created by artist Paul Hodgson. The image and a short DVD of Carnival Messiah video clips are available.

For information, contact Anita Morris or Rebecca Wood, Anita Morris Associates This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it , This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Tel. +44 (0)1943 603311