Education / School Run

Duchy Opera has always been fully committed to education and has organised many master classes and workshops for both members and non-members of the Company, working with professionals at the top of their fields.

At the beginning of 2010 it was felt that Duchy Opera needed to engage with younger people and so we decided to take an opera-themed workshop into schools under the title of The School Run. It consists of a group of 8 –12 singers and Duchy Opera’s musical director, who visit primary schools throughout Cornwall, introducing children to the idea of singing opera music. Songs are especially written which the children can take part in and the School Run’s plan is to educate and enthuse young people, not only to singing, but movement, using the company’s resident choreographer, as well as making simple costumes, props and set.

Work has begun on a newly written opera for children, in which the children will have a large input, giving full rein to their talents with Duchy Opera acting in a performance and supportive role. The School Run has been a huge success and received enthusiastic responses from the schools visited, as well as receiving sponsorship from Barclays Business Centre and a grant from the FEAST programme in its first year of formation. It is hoped the School Run will develop and extend to include senior schools in future years.

For enquiries on masterclasses or The School Run, please email us at:
education@duchyopera.co.uk