WotOpera education initiative expanding

“It has been one of the best experiences in my life.” – Wot-Opera 2008 participant, year nine Narara Valley High.

AUSTRALIA – Adrian Collette, chief executive of Opera Australia and Graeme Wood, founder of Australasia’s leading accommodation website Wotif.com, have announced that nine new schools, four in Western Sydney and five in Rockhampton Queensland, will participate in Opera Australia’s newest education programme, WotOpera.

“WotOpera aims to tap into the creativity and ingenuity of young adults through the medium of opera. Twenty students from each school will have the opportunity to produce an original opera and be involved in all aspects of its creation,” said Mr Collette.

“With the help of theatre professionals they will invent the plot, develop the characters, write the libretto and compose the music. They will cast it, direct it, and perform it. They will even paint the set.

“Finally, they will perform their original work in a fully-equipped professional theatre.”
One hundred and eighty students will participate in workshops over four to six weeks culminating in a performance of their show to their school community and a public performance in a local theatre.

During the workshop period, students from all nine schools will document their experiences via digital video and photography.

Their mini-documentaries will become part of the WotOpera public performances at the Pilbeam Theatre in Rockhampton on 5th June, 2009, and the Parramatta Riverside Theatres in Sydney on 23rd September, 2009.

WotOpera aims to stimulate and promote students’ learning while raising awareness and engagement with the art form of opera.

“When we set up the pilot programme of WotOpera in Sydney last year, we were confident that students would find it inspiring,” said Mr Wood.

“What we weren’t expecting was how inspired we would be by their response. The students all reacted to our challenge with creativity, ingenuity, leadership, great talent and boundless enthusiasm.

“I am thrilled to see the WotOpera programme expand in 2009, and I can’t wait to see what the students come up with.”