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Education

Northern Ireland Opera's outreach programmes for children and young people

Since 2010 we have been working with young people, youth groups and schools, providing access to music, theatre, dance and creative workshops both in schools and at the theatres and venues where we produce our operas and events.

Look at our recent projects and events below to get a snapshot of what we can deliver. If you are a school or youth group and would be interested in finding out more about how to work with us, please get in touch with our Schools Outreach Coordinator, India Chapman-Webb via outreach@niopera.com

Come and Sing for Schools

85 GCSE and A’Level students from three Belfast schools attended two workshops in the Grand Opera House, Belfast during production week for ‘Eugene Onégin’ and learned to sing choruses from Eugene Onégin and other major operas.

Music and Creative Skills Workshops 10-14 June 2024

We had a brilliant week working with students from six schools from across Belfast, who joined us for workshops throughout the week which included Singing, Vocal Health, Linguistics, Acting, Dance, Stage and Set Design and Stage Make-Up and Special Effects, with 14 different specialist facilitators sharing their skills and knowledge with the students across a week in the Grand Opera House Studio in Belfast.

At the end of the week, the students came together to perform a selection of opera choruses they had learned in sessions throughout the week to family and friends.

Find out all about the week’s sessions here.

Outreach Week 4-8 September 2023

NI Opera’s busy week of activities for primary and secondary school children returned from 4-8 September in the historic Grand Opera House with a wide range of different activities.

We invited primary and secondary school pupils in to the Studio Theatre in the Grand Opera House to take part in singing, dance, movement and drama workshops (7-11 year olds) and ‘Come and Sing’ events for GCSE to A’Level Music Students exploring singing two set texts, ‘Les Miserables’ and Mozart’s Requiem alongside some of NI Opera’s company artists.

‘Opera Tots’ events were held in the daytime for parents and babies under 24 months to experience opera and singing in an interactive environment and an evening dance session of ‘Hip Hopera’ saw opera meet hip hop led by choreographer Óran Clarke and opera singer Mary McCabe performing the ‘Queen of the Night’ aria by Mozart.

As part of our open dress rehearsal for community groups, schools and youth groups, children from secondary schools around Belfast watched ‘Tosca’ free. We also invited the young musicians of the City of Belfast Youth Orchestra and the Ulster Youth Orchestra to watch what was for many their first full opera.

Thank you to all the amazing young people, teachers and facilitators who made this our most successful Outreach Week yet!

Music and Theatre Summer Skills

A free six week programme for 12-18 year olds in North Belfast – each week was led by a different theatre, dance or music professional exploring the skills they use to help bring an opera to the stage. This summer scheme was supported by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland ‘Articulate’ programme and the Garfield Weston Foundation, with a free breakfast, lunch and snack provided for each participant.

Find out more here.

School Singing Workshops

Following the world premiere of our newly commisioned opera for teen and young adult audiences, ‘Nobody/Somebody’, NI Opera’s Outreach Facilitators have been visited primary and secondary schools with a series of singing workshops drawing elements from ‘Nobody/Somebody’ as well as learning vocal techniques.

Nobody/Somebody, February 2022

Northern Ireland Opera engaged the young musicians of the Ulster Youth Orchestra to perform in this brand new opera which we commissioned for a teen/young adult audience. The opera explores themes of activism and homelessness and is inspired by the work of the young activists of the PPR Organisation in Belfast who are one of NI Opera’s community partners. NI Opera also worked with Springboard Opportunities to engage 5 young people who were interested in theatre careers to work in paid creative and technical roles on the opera’s production.

Find out more here.

Vocal Health Workshop
NI Opera Chorus member Rachael Heater performing with the workshop week students
Dance Workshop for secondary school students
Stage Make-Up and Special Effects Workshop
Stage Make-Up and Special Effects Workshop
Looking at costumes and sets from NI Opera productions
Students enjoying a workshop session
Costume and Set Design Workshop
Acting Workshop Session for Secondary Students
Secondary School ‘Come and Sing’ event
Secondary School ‘Come and Sing’ event
Secondary School ‘Come and Sing’ event
Primary School Singing Workshops in schools
Secondary School ‘Come and Sing’ event
Free lunchtime concert
School Singing Workshops at the GOH
Hip Hopera Workshop
Open Dress Rehearsal for Community and Youth Groups
Come and Sing ‘Tosca’
Come and Sing Mozart’s ‘Requiem’
Come and Sing ‘Les Misérables’
Primary School Drama Workshop
Primary School Theatre Visit at GOH
School Costume Workshops at the GOH
Primary School Theatre Visit at GOH
Primary School Singing Workshop
Primary School Dance and Song Workshop
Costume and stage make up workshops at the Creative Skills Summer Scheme
Costume and stage make up workshops at the Creative Skills Summer Scheme
Costume and stage make up workshops at the Creative Skills Summer Scheme
Costume and stage make up workshops at the Creative Skills Summer Scheme
Summer Scheme Creative Skills Workshops for Teens at the Duncairn Centre
Creative Skills Workshops Summer Scheme
Creative Skills Workshop, Costume and Make-Up for Stage
Creative Skills Workshop, Costume and Make-Up for Stage
Creative Skills Workshop – Choreography and Movement.
Costume and stage make up workshops at the Creative Skills Summer Scheme
Primary School Dance and Song Workshop
Come and Sing Mozart’s Requiem
Come and Sing ‘Les Mis’
Come and Sing Les Mis
Primary School Dance Workshop
Primary School Song and Dance Workshop
Primary School Drama and Art Workshop
Primary School Drama and Art Workshop
Pirmary School Song and Dance Workshop
School Costume Workshops
School Costume Workshops
Workshops at the GOH
School Dance Workshops
School Singing Workshops
The Singing Explorers
Workshops for ‘Pamplemousse’
Little Lullabies
Noye’s Fludde at Belfast Zoo
Little Lullabies
Opera Detectives at the GOH
Workshops at the GOH
Noye’s Fludde at Belfast Zoo
Little Lullabies
Workshops on tour for ‘Pamplemousse’
Singing Explorers performing at Glenarm
‘Kiss Me Kate’ workshops for GCSE drama students
Rehearsal visits to the GOH
Ardnashee special school project
The Bat Ball at the GOH
Singing Explorers at Glenarm
Singing workshops for Die Fledermaus at GOH
Noye’s Fludde at Belfast Zoo

If you’d like to find out more about our education programmes for 2023/24 or how to take part, please contact info@niopera.com