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In our school newsletters we will be hearing from different freelancers and
teachers to find out a little bit more about them and their experiences with
ENO Engage.

This coming year, schools participating in _Finish This…_ 2025/26 will have
the choice of two composition stimulus pieces to respond to: _Blue, Red,
Yellow…_ by Omar Shahryar and Ruth Mariner, and a newly commissioned piece,
_Plant This Seed_ by Elif Karlidag. [Booking for Finish This… 2025-26 is now
open! Please visit our booking page to secure your
place](https://www.eno.org/discover-opera/learning/finish-this/finish-this-
booking-page/)**.**

**Elif Karlidag** , Composer of _Plant This Seed_ spoke to us about her
inspiration behind the piece, and the process of creating it, along with
Librettist Hazel Gould.

**Hi Elif! Could you tell us a little about yourself and your connection to
the work of ENO Engage?**

I am a Turkish/British composer specialising in interdisciplinary works that
amplify marginalised voices. My music blends traditional and unconventional
instruments, electronics, and multimedia to explore themes of identity,
marginalisation, and cultural narratives. I often incorporate graphic notation
and experiment with unconventional approaches to staging, and I also compose
music for film

**How did you become involved with _Finish This…?_**

When I saw the call for the new _Finish This…_ commission, I immediately fell
in love. It encapsulates everything I’m passionate about: opera, animation,
and a collaborative operatic piece that is to be finished by children. It
truly is a special project that resonates with me.

**Can you tell us a bit about this new composition,_Plant This Seed_?**

_Plant This Seed_ is a response to our shared concern about climate change.
While some view climate change as a distant future problem, it is already
impacting our world today. As an artist, I find that contemporary issues
invariably shape my work, and I wanted to create a piece that not only
highlights this crucial issue but also gives children the freedom to imagine,
create, and believe that we can overcome challenges together. The composition
is structured in three scenes representing the past, present, and future.

The first scene portrays a harmonious past with pastoral, soothing music
featuring a lovely melody introduced by woodwinds and the beautiful ENO
Chorus. The second scene reflects a world out of balance, using dissonant,
rhythmic patterns to capture the disruptive influence of modern technology.
The final scene is a bold, rich finale that invites everyone to “plant a seed”
as a call to action to support our environment and ourselves.

To celebrate diversity and inclusivity, I incorporated instruments from around
the world—a Biwa from Japan, a Fujara from Slovakia, and a Tabla from India.
I’m especially proud that ENO managed to find a Biwa player in the UK, which
is quite an achievement given their rarity!

**_Plant This Seed_ was written in collaboration with Librettist Hazel Gould.
Can you tell us a bit about your process of writing the piece together?**

Working with Hazel has been an absolute delight. She is an amazing
collaborator whose sensitivity to children’s feelings has truly elevated the
project. Our creative process was organic, with moments where the music and
lyrics merged in unexpected ways that kept me excited throughout the process.
I’ve always admired her work, and her input has added a fresh dimension to the
piece. I must also acknowledge ENO’s Head of Music Martin Fitzpatrick’s
significant contribution—his support really helped elevate the overall work.

**_Finish This…_ involves artists and teachers working together to create an
opera-inspired scheme of work that supports teachers to facilitate whole-class
composition, and develops pupils’ listening, composition and creative skills.
What attracts you to working on education projects like _Finish This…_ and why
are they important?**

Working on education projects like _Finish This…_ is incredibly rewarding
because it empowers young people to become creators. Teaching children how to
compose their own music nurtures creativity, collaboration, and critical
thinking, while also building their confidence. Opera, with its unique blend
of narrative, music, and visual storytelling, offers an immersive experience
that sparks inspiration and opens new creative pathways. I firmly believe that
engaging young people in the creative process has a profound and lasting
impact on their broader development.

**And finally… what’s your favourite opera?!**

That’s a particularly difficult question because I love it all! I especially
like the very old and the very new. I absolutely love Monteverdi’s operas, _La
Serva Padrona_ by Pergolesi, Purcell’s _Dido and Aeneas_ , Handel’s _Alcina_ ,
and Mozart’s operas (the ENO production of _The Magic Flute_ was so good—I
hope it returns!).

I also admire Ravel’s _L’enfant et les sortilèges_ , _Les mamelles de
Tirésias_ by Poulenc, and _La voix humaine,_ also by Poulenc. Not to mention
Alexander Goehr’s _Arianna_ , Louis Andriessen’s operas, Harrison Birtwistle’s
_The Minotaur_ , Philip Glass’s works, as well as pieces by George Benjamin,
Philip Venables, and Tansy Davies—the list goes on and on!

I’m especially looking forward to seeing Philip Glass and Du Yun in Manchester
next year! Go to the opera; you will love it!