Two-and-a-half years of creating arias and harmonies are at an end for Surbiton High School’s Tom Wiggall.

The assistant director of music has recently put the finishing touched to his opera celebrating the 1,800th anniversary of St Alban’s martyrdom.

The dramatic re-imagining of the saint’s life, which involved daring escapes, love, death and betrayal, was commissioned by St Alban’s Cathedral to mark the anniversary, and will be performed between May 20 and May 23.

Mr Wiggall, who has brought in elements of his work as a film composer as well as aspects of plainsong and renaissance styles, will see his 90 minute opera performed by a 100-strong chorus as well as several soloists and an orchestra.

He said: “It’s important to remember that the opera is an intimate love story.

“It’s about two people – Alban and his wife – who get separated by faith.

“It’s just one of the aspects of the opera that has interested me - that Alban’s martyrdom is not one sole, glorious sacrifice, but also involves many other rejections and sacrifices on the part of his family and friends.”

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