A Riot in Three Acts

A Riot in Three Acts is a major interdisciplinary commission by artist, filmmaker and composer Imran Perretta, developed over two years as a Somerset House Studios residency. Combining film, sound, sculpture, performance and installation, the work examines the interconnected histories of civil unrest, systemic injustice and the social conditions that give rise to collective resistance.

At the heart of the exhibition is A Requiem for the Dispossessed—a newly commissioned orchestral score composed by Perretta, arranged by William Newell, and co-commissioned by Somerset House Studios and Manchester Camerata by arrangement with NewForm Music. Performed by Manchester Camerata and presented in an immersive spatial audio installation by Call and Response using d&b Soundscape, the score draws on the tradition of the requiem to create a powerful sonic portrait of civil uprising and its aftermath.

Presented alongside a programme of live performances, talks, workshops and new commissions, A Riot in Three Acts transformed Somerset House Studios into a cinematic environment exploring memory, community and the political landscapes of contemporary Britain.

Creative Team
Imran Perretta • William Newell •

Collaborators
Somerset House Studios • Manchester Camerata • NewForm Music • d&b audiotechnik • Call and Response

Dates
27 September 2024 – 10 November 2024 – Somerset House Studios, London, UK