ENO host Greater Manchester Youth Opera Company pilot weekend

 The Greater Manchester Youth Opera Company is a new programme delivered by ENO Engage – ENO’s learning and participation department – in partnership with the Greater Manchester Music Hub and Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM), for young people aged 11–14. 

 The pilot weekend brought together 40 young people from across Greater Manchester over three packed days of activity at Contact Theatre in central Manchester. Under the creative lead of Jude Christian, activities included a conducting workshop, led by ENO’s Chorus Director, Matthew Quinn, a design workshop in which the participants made their own model boxes, as well as some singing and libretto writing. The aim of the weekend was to explore different ways of engaging young people with opera and exposing them to the multiple artforms and skillsets involved in making an opera, to shape the direction and future development of the programme. 

Working with local partners, the Greater Manchester Youth Opera Company provides young people from across Greater Manchester the chance to explore opera in an out-of-school project. The programme is aimed at those who are currently under-represented within the opera sector, including those who identify as Global Majority, working class and/or disabled.     

Closely informed by the city-region’s cultural landscape and the interests of the participants involved, ENO are developing the programme in response to research indicating that there are currently very few opportunities for young people to take part in opera-related activities in Greater Manchester.  

The new initiative will explore opera in a broad and creative way, looking at the many elements that make it up – from music and storytelling to design, costume and technical production – so that young people can get involved through a range of creative interests.  

Beth Warnock, Director of ENO Engage, said of the programme’s pilot weekend:
“It was inspiring to see such a diverse group of young people from across Greater Manchester come together and, in just a few hours, build connections and collaborate creatively. Their enthusiasm, imagination and willingness to explore new ideas resulted in some truly inventive opera concepts. The weekend has given us valuable insight as we consider the future development of the programme.” 

One of the participants commented on their experience:
“Being in a group with people I wouldn’t usually meet, making friends and music is what it’s all about.” 

Another reflected on their changed view of opera as a result of the weekend:
“When I first arrived, opera was overwhelming but now we’ve designed our own operas, I feel I can take on the world.”