‘The Trials of Brother Jero’ opera set for October 11 Lagos return

 

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Wole Soyinka’s celebrated satire, The Trials of Brother Jero, is set to receive another theatrical interpretation when its operatic adaptation returns to the Lagos stage on October 11.

The production, titled The Trials of Brother Jero, The Opera, will be staged at the newly renovated Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Creative Arts, formerly the National Arts Theatre. 

The performance is being presented by Vesta Orchestra and follows earlier stagings held in May and June.

Activities on the day will begin with a special school concert at 4pm, featuring performances by four school orchestras. The main opera is scheduled to commence at 5pm.

The production takes inspiration from Soyinka’s original play, which was first performed in 1960 and later published in 1963. 

At the centre of the story is Brother Jeroboam, a self-appointed prophet whose ability to manipulate the hopes and ambitions of his followers provides the basis for Soyinka’s social satire.

Rather than presenting the story solely as conventional theatre, the new adaptation uses opera to explore the characters and themes. 

Live orchestral arrangements, vocals and African musical elements are combined to create a different interpretation of the well-known work.

Executive producer Rosalyn Aninyei said the production offers audiences another opportunity to encounter Soyinka’s writing through a different artistic medium.

She explained that transforming the play into an opera creates a fresh experience while retaining the characters and central themes that have made The Trials of Brother Jero an important work in Nigerian theatre.

The creative team behind the production includes director Gbolabo Gibbs Adebakin, composer Seun Owoaje and librettist Kehinde Oretimehin, popularly known as Omo Kabiyesi. Aninyei serves as executive producer of the project.

The principal cast features Captain Gibbs, IGE, John Paul Ochei and Abiola Lepe, who bring Soyinka’s characters to life through the opera format.

For Aninyei, the production also reflects the potential of opera as a vehicle for African storytelling. She noted that Nigeria has a longstanding musical and operatic tradition and argued that African creatives should take greater ownership of the stories presented to audiences at home and abroad.

Director Adebakin similarly stressed the importance of making new forms of theatre accessible to audiences. He said using a familiar story can help people connect with an unfamiliar artistic format.

The October staging will mark the third presentation of The Trials of Brother Jero, The Opera, giving audiences another chance to experience the adaptation in Lagos.

The venue also adds significance to the event. The former National Arts Theatre was renovated and officially reopened on October 1, 2025, before being renamed the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Creative Arts in honour of the Nobel laureate.

Soyinka’s original play was first staged at Mellanby Hall, University College Ibadan, in April 1960. It focuses on Jero, a self-styled prophet who exploits religious devotion and the desires of his followers to preserve his influence.

More than six decades after its first appearance, the story continues to find new forms of expression, with the opera adaptation bringing its satire, humour and commentary on society to a contemporary Lagos audience.

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