Genesis: The Beginning and End of Time

Gregory Maqoma brings Genesis: The Beginning and End of Time to Aviva Studios from 22 to 24 October 2027. It's the UK premiere of a dance opera by the South African choreographer, with a libretto by Karthika Nair. The work looks at the quest for Black liberation, drawing on the revolutionary ideas of Aimé Césaire, Frantz Fanon and Steve Biko, as well as the poetic defiance of migrant communities across the world.

It's part of Factory International's 2027 season, which marks the 20th anniversary of the Manchester International Festival. The festival first staged in 2007 as the first major arts festival devoted solely to commissioning and producing ambitious new work, and this particular season includes nine UK and world premieres. Genesis is one of them.

Aviva Studios is Factory International's year-round venue on Water Street, which opened in 2023 and was named by Time Magazine in 2024 as one of the 100 Best Places to Visit in the World. It's the home for the season's programme, and Genesis runs there across three dates.

Tickets start from £10. They're on sale to members now, open to AMEX holders on 16 October and to the general public on 20 October.