On Wednesday 10 May, the students from Year5 and Year 7 participated in the opera ‘The Marriage of Figaro by W. A. Mozart. This production was the great closing event of the Opera Kids project, in which the children have been working since the beginning of March. The company ‘Más que ópera’ adapted the work of the genius of Salzburg, shortening it and introducing a narrator, but keeping the original arias, which were sung in Italian.

It has been a very fun project, rich in experiences, training, and learning. During all this time, the music department organised the lessons so that the students became familiar with the historical and social context of opera: its origins in Renaissance Florence, its link with Greek tragedy and comedy, and the specific characteristics of the genre. Also, through games and auditions of a selection of arias, they identified the different vocal types, while being trained in opera singing technique, which they applied to the five arias of the aforementioned opera, singing them in Italian.

The curricular work was reinforced by two workshops, in which professional opera singers from ‘Más que ópera’, attended the school to prepare them for the final performance. There were videos, warm-ups, and games. They also learned choreography to accompany one of the arias.

Parents in Years 5 and 7 were invited to open lessons, where children had the opportunity to share their learning with them. At the end, parents and children were able to sing opera altogether!

The finishing touch was in the Sala Roja of the Teatros del Canal. The students alternately went up to the stage in groups and sang the corresponding sections together with professional singers, who performed the solo parts, all of them accompanied by a chamber orchestra. Wardrobe, lights, movement, and lots of music!

A memorable journey from start to finish, from which we all came out enriched!

Bravo!