Jollof is back – and bringing the heat!

Classically Black 2025 lands at Kings Place on Saturday 18 October 2025, and we’re thrilled to present The Jollof House Party Opera as part of this powerful celebration of Black and global majority excellence in classical music.

Expect fire, flavour, and fearless creativity as The Jollof House Party Opera fuses opera, storytelling, and Afrobeat energy in a vibrant new production that brings the culture straight to the concert hall. It’s bold, it’s Black, and it’s not to be missed.

Underlying all of our work is a determination to open up opera making to many more creatives and especially those who have been excluded from it. We believe the future for opera lies in an open invitation to artists who can bring new stories, new ways of working and new musical ideas to this rich, multidisciplinary and universal artform – storytelling in music. The Jollof House Party Opera is the first live performance piece created by MTW for this purpose and we are thrilled to be bringing it back and to be sharing it with audiences and participants at Classically Black, presented by Black Lives in Music. Music Theatre Wales is a proud member of Black Lives in Music as we re-imagine opera. As The Jollof House Party Opera demonstrates, opera can be so much more flexible, in terms of the musical language, the use of singing, the duration (this piece last less than 20 minutes) and in the stories it can tell.

The Jollof House Party Opera is written and composed by Tumi Williams (AKA Skunkadelic) and was originally co-created by Tumi Williams and Sita Thomas.

Now in its second year, Classically Black, presented by Black Lives in Music as part of their 5th Anniversary, is a full day of performances, discussions, and emerging talent, all redefining what classical music can be.

We’re also proud to share the day with the phenomenal Simmy Singh – violinist, collaborator, and former Sinfonia Cymru artist – who joins a stellar line-up of musicians pushing the boundaries of classical music.

What’s On:

CYP Workshop Sharing Session
Led by composer Pete Letanka and featuring young musicians from the Music in Secondary Schools Trust.

Spotlight Panel – Sisters Are Doing It For Themselves
With Paulette Bayley, Amina Hussain, Amanda Baldwin, and Rianna Henriques – celebrating women leading change in classical music.

New Works: From Historical to Hip-Hop
Featuring Simmy Singh, The Jollof House Party Opera, and Sabi Ensemble.

The Next Movement: Evolving Sounds Showcase
A fresh wave of rising stars selected through our nationwide call-out.

The After-Party: 5th Anniversary Celebrations
Hosted by DJ Spoony with live performances from Kele Le Roc, Lifford, MC Ranking, MC Viper, Thomas Jules, and Romina Johnson – a UK Garage celebration you won’t forget!

Early Bird tickets are on sale now via the Kings Place website – use code EARLYBIRD. Don’t miss out.