Absolute Classics brought Opera Bohemia to the region to deliver vocal workshops focused around Bizet’s ‘The Pearl Fishers’ and they featured 3 Opera Bohemia soloists with the company’s musical director at the piano. Following a short introduction to Opera, they performed a half hour version of ‘The Pearl Fishers’ sung in English, with the singers stepping out of character to narrate the story. There was some student participation where they helped to direct, pitched some scenarios to the singers for improvisation, and asked questions. The young people commented it was a fun session that helped them to understand and appreciate more about the world of opera.

There were links with elements of the school curriculum, musical terms and support for different voice types, which the students interested in studying performing arts found particularly useful. These young people were also able to ask the professional singers about following a similar career path as they had all studied at leading conservatoires.