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In our school newsletters we will be hearing from different teachers and
freelancers to find out a little bit more about them and their experiences
with ENO Engage.
This time round we will be hearing from **Daisy Chitnis** , a teacher at a
London primary school who brought her Year 5 class to one of our Discover
Opera Days. She tells us about their experience below…
## A visit to London Coliseum
I’m Daisy Chitnis, and I am a class teacher at Christ Church Bentinck (CCB)
Church of England Primary School, Marylebone.
CCB is a one-form entry school made up of 219 pupils. We are incredibly proud
of the diverse range of ethnicities that make up our pupil demographic, with
pupils’ experiences spanning the globe.
However, the pupils’ experiences of London have proven to be less expansive,
with many rarely having the opportunity to explore the artistic and cultural
activities it offers. Therefore, my Year 5 class were incredibly animated to
hear about our planned trip to the ENO, which took place in October 2022.
Not only were they thrilled to finally be going on a school trip (COVID-19
lockdowns having prevented this from happening in their younger school years),
but they were curious and excited to learn about a new art form and to visit
the London Coliseum, a building unlike anything they’d seen before.
## A surprise performance
Upon our arrival, the pupils were given a warm welcome and an informative
history of the English National Opera, as they gazed up at the ornate,
classical mosaics above them in the hallway.
We were then guided into the auditorium; one of the rarer occasions when my
class have fallen silent, overwhelmed by the magnitude of the room! We learnt
about the ins and outs of how an opera is transformed from the manuscript to
the stage, and the roles of the many experts involved, which certainly sparked
some curiosity into possible future career paths.
The tour continued, and as we moved through the front of house spaces, we were
treated to a surprise performance from an opera singer, whose voice mesmerised
the pupils – and which they have been trying to replicate ever since! Indeed,
it has certainly been pleasing for me to hear, as the pupils gather to go
home, the occasional break out into not just any song, but the cricket’s aria
from Johnathan Dove’s opera, Pinocchio!
## A special fitting
Next, the pupils were offered a very ‘hands-on’ opportunity, to hold and learn
about some of the props used in previous ENO productions, and to choose a
costume from the impressive wardrobe collection to try on.
Whether dressed as a knight, a bee-keeper, a pirate, or one character whose
outfit was a collection of every stuffed animal imaginable – the pupils
explored their own creativity, choosing different accessories and poses to
match their outfits, too.
It was wonderful to see some seemingly withdrawn pupils picking the most
voluminous and dramatic outfits, expressing themselves in new ways.
## Our workshop
Finally, our day ended with a dynamic workshop, that I was able to choose and
tailor beforehand, from a diverse and inclusive range of options offered by
the ENO.
Given the fact that English is an additional language for many of my pupils, I
chose Drama & Performance as our focus. I felt that my pupils would benefit
from discovering a new medium of self-expression, to build confidence and
expand communication within the class. Through singing and mime, the pupils
explored the emotion behind different musical notes, harmonies and rhythms,
learning how their bodies can reflect such emotion. They then performed short
scenes in groups to [Bizet’s ‘Toreador’
march](https://www.eno.org/collections/toreador-from-bizets-carmen/), which
were highly entertaining!
## A unique learning opportunity
The day was meticulously well thought out, from the initial emails with Amy to
the day itself. Having the building almost to ourselves made the experience
both intimate and focused, creating a stimulating and safe environment for
learning. Furthermore, the pace and variety of the activities, all occurring
in a different part of the building, allowed the pupils to be fully immersed
into the various individual aspects of opera, whilst learning how they
interlink. The whole day had several links to the pupils’ academic curricula,
most noticeably Music, Drama and History, with the pupils’ inquisitiveness
constantly being fed. Beyond their academic understanding, each pupil
developed their cultural awareness, their exploration of self, and their joy
of learning, leaving a noticeably positive impact on their motivation back in
the classroom. Finally, the expert knowledge of the staff, whether performers
or members of the ENO Engage team, was so well-adapted and well-pitched to the
pupils’ age and needs that they were all able to participate and flourish
throughout the day.
The ENO provided the pupils with an invaluable and unique learning
opportunity: from the videos of operatic performances sent to us after our
trip, to the reflections written by the pupils. Whether naming opera as their
new favourite music genre, or describing the day as ‘one of the happiest of
their lives’, the impact has been long-lasting and immeasurable.
Related Content: AbracadOpera!This comedy-musical-drama brings together the ENO’s musical forces, Sky Kids talent and ENO Engage partner schools to create an epic adventure into the world of operatic music and performance, through opera’s best characters.Celebrating Finish This… 2022-23: Primary & SENDLearn about the Finish This project