A free opera version of Die Fledermaus will be performed across Merton and Wandsworth streets.

The initiative, bringing opera to the high street, is a joint project between Baseless Fabric Theatre and the Wimbledon Foundation.

The Merton-based company, who bring opera and theatre into public spaces, is the first organisation to receive funding from the Wimbledon Foundation’s new Arts and Community Engagement (ACE) Fund.

Helen Parker, Wimbledon Foundation & Community Manager said:“We launched the ACE Fund with the aim of supporting a creative project that would engage the local community, particularly disadvantaged groups who might not ordinarily access the arts.”

The opera version of Johann Strauss’ Die Fledermaus which will be performed in public spaces across the two boroughs in August 2019.

The project will also include workshops in schools, community centres and lunch clubs for the elderly in Merton and Wandsworth as well as working with a local secondary school with low music provision to create their own version of the classic opera.

Joanna Turner, artistic director of Baseless Fabric Theatre said:“The grant will enable us to adapt Die Fledermaus for free unticketed performances along the high street in various town centre locations across Merton and Wandsworth enabling everyone to experience high quality professional opera.

"The grant also allows us to continue and develop our extensive outreach programme with sessions for the elderly too frail to experience our promenade performance live and opera workshops for Merton and Wandsworth primary and secondary schools.”