About Hidden Star
Touching story. Gorgeous music! Would love to see the full opera.
Should appeal particularly to young people interested in science, and history. Strong educational potential.
Expose scientists to opera!
I loved it. It was fascinating to see the creative process. I particularly enjoyed the blend of opera singing. piano, body percussion and spoken word.Audience feedback from our work-in-progress presentation at the Tête-à-Tête Contemporary Opera Festival 2025
In 2023, Caroline Coetzee walked past the Old Observatory which now forms part of the Institute of Astronomy. She noticed that they were having an open day and decided to poke her nose in. The librarian was giving a talk about a remarkable woman called Annie Walker the first professionally employed female astronomer in Britain. Fascinated and moved by Annie’s story and the injustice she faced, Caroline began to think about writing an opera based on this extraordinary, forgotten life.
From that chance encounter, a whole new project has emerged, one that weaves together the arts, sciences, social history and education.
The project has inspired historians to increase the little knowledge we have about Annie’s life and work.
Susanna Davis as the Young Annie Walker and Marion Dall Caldwell, piano, perform an excerpt of the unfinished opera at Tête-à-Tête Contemporary Opera Festival. The child Annie sings of her love for the stars and her desire to understand them.
Workshops – opening up science, history and the arts
The project will bring together musicians and scientists to run workshops where children can sing Annie’s stars, while learning about astronomy and history. Where teenagers and adults can find out more about a pioneer in women’s employment in STEMM and help us explore what she means to us today.
The first of these will take place during the Cambridge Festival in 2026.
The opera
At the heart of the project, is the still unfinished opera, Hidden Star, with words by Caroline and music by Rania Chrysostomou, a lyrical and intimate character study, which tells Annie’s story and brings her , and the people close to her, to life.
The partially completed opera was introduced at the Tête-à-Tête Contemporary Opera Festival in October 2025. A programme of presentations about Annie Walker, women in STEMM and the creative process journey to date, was interspersed with work in progress excerpts and libretto readings from the as yet unfinished opera.
You can watch the full video of the presentation here.
Another excerpt from Tête-à-Tête. The young Annie Walker, approaching the end of her schooling, is unsure about what to do next
Audience feedback was overwhelmingly positive.
Leaving Annie Walker with the last word
Hidden Star - The Story of Annie Walker 