The RNCM Children's Opera Project never disappoints. This now annual event is part of the RNCM Engage programme, and this year, as in previous years, four primary school classes from four different local primary schools were involved in devising and performing in an original operatic work, alongside their teachers, RNCM monitors and students, and all uniquely composed for them by the talented and seemingly indefatigable Kate Pearson.
This year's story takes some ideas from the Hansel And Gretel fairytale, but transports them into a hyper-modern city where evrything is automated and clockwork. In this story Hansel and Gretel also have a sister, Mathilde, who sadly becomes spearated from them early on as disaster strikes the city and the children are evacuated. The children then travel deep into the unknown woods and come across a restaurant offering the best in sugary sweet confection. The children eat, and are caught by the evil witch masquerading as the Maitre D' who intends to turn them all into sweets. They escape and eventually get back home to the city and Hansel and Gretel are reunited with Mathilde, and the city rejoices.
The story starts with the children of Church Of The Resurrection Primary School, and each school is allotted appoximately 15 minutes before passing seamlessly over to the next group. So, once out of the city and on their own the children are now Ribble Drive Primary School. St Francis Primary School is next leaving the returning home and rejoying to the children of Alma P:ark Primary. The changeovers are clever and always done mid chorus song. It's a simple but effective idea. The children are never alone on stage as the students from the RNCM work with them and sing with them too at times to boost confidence and offer support.
Performing on the RNCM's main theatre stage with a live 30-piece orchestra is no mean feat, and is a thrill for many an adult who has the requisite skill and training behind them; however, here we have groups of 9 and 10 year old children whose first experience of stagecraft is at this level, and some of them were singing solos and / or duets and trios. The standard is surprisingly high, and the ethos and goals of the RNCM Engage outreach team unsurpassable.
The music is catchy, and I was tapping my feet throughout, and yet, as all operas do, the music isn't just there as a time-filler, but advances the narrative and gives character background, and so it is always harder to put across. To think that this one hour original opera was rehearsed in no more than three days, makes it even more astounding, and huge credit and praise to those responsible for bringing it to fruition. No individual director is credited as it is a devised and ensemble effort, but it worked excellently, and I always leave with a huge grin on my face knowing that the world of Musical Theatre and / or Opera is not dead yet by long chalk!
Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 14/11/19
No comments:
Post a Comment