Continuing its long history of commitment to increasing accessibility through the education of its audience, Carl Rosa Opera today still strives to increase their audience’s understanding and enjoyment of opera through a wide programme of activities.

In Performance:
Through a variety of performances of mixed repertoire by Carl Rosa Opera, the company are able to accommodate special performances and events aimed at audiences wishing to gain further insight into the world of opera. Recent examples of this have included special matinee performances for Friends of Carl Rosa, pre-show discussions, educational talks on the creation of an opera company, audience participation through ‘sing-along’ sessions and backstage tours.

In Schools:
Carl Rosa Opera offers unique participation workshops for key stage 2 and 3 pupils focusing on the world of opera, themes deriving from a company production as well as giving students the opportunity to learn a short ensemble piece from the opera. This programme offers young pupils an opportunity to understand the art form of opera within their school environment, gain some knowledge of the techniques of opera, drama and music and, within the framework of Carl Rosa Opera’s touring season, allows the opportunity to watch one of the company productions.

In the Company:
Carl Rosa Opera is to initiate a two-week long training scheme for twenty young professional singers focusing on one opera in the summer of 2009. Working on a number of short scenes, singers will get the opportunity to work on principal roles in a closed environment, assisted by visiting experts in the field of music, movement, speech, and stage craft. The course will end with a short workshop presentation of scenes to an invited audience of directors, agents and producers, giving the participants the benefit of performance experience as well as further in-depth training in their craft.

In the Community:
Based in the East End of London, Carl Rosa Opera plans to investigate new ways of engaging with the local community through local festivals such as ‘Spitalfields Festival’ and the Hackney ‘Spice Festival’, as well as strengthening its partnership with the Hackney Empire theatre. Working within the local community to bring opera to a wider audience, Carl Rosa Opera plans to develop a number of community-participation projects based within the Hackney borough.

All activities are enhanced and development by experts in the field of education, opera, drama and music and where possible each programme will utilise the expertise within the professional Carl Rosa Opera company. For more information please email info@carlrosaopera.co.uk

Jane Quinn, Carl Rosa Opera

Workshop with NYT students, 2008