The Return of Mary Anning! Franklin-born Opera Heads to Grafton

The Cast: left to right: Frank Walker, Mark Schiappucci, Timothy Ayers-Kerr (of Dean College), Aurora Martin, and Emily Bieber-Harris.

The world premiere of 'Mary Anning: Fossil Hunter', a chamber orchestra, was performed in June of 2024 by a mixed ensemble of professionals and amateurs, with financial support from the Franklin Cultural District Committee, at the First Universalist Society, Franklin. On Oct. 20, the video of that performance was shown at the Franklin Historical Museum.

Audiences loved the story (a working class, 19th century English girl who became a founder of paleontology despite class and gender prejudice), and the music -- fresh and daring but drawing from many familiar sounds of the British Isles.

Now, Franklin-based composer Jon Mitchell is teaming up with the Milford-based Claflin HIll Symphony Orchestra on Saturday, April 5, at 7:30 PM Great Hall at Apple Tree Arts on Grafton Common to deliver a new production of the work  (with some of the same performers as in 2024). This year, Timothy Ayers-Kerr of Dean College is portraying the male lead (Dr. William Buckland) and students from his Dean College Vocal Ensemble are taking part as well.

During the pandemic,  Mitchell got the idea of combining his interests in music and paleontology to tell the story of the self-educated 19th century science pioneer who succeeded through grit and determination.