Over 200 schoolchildren are getting ready to take to the stage at Hull City Hall on Monday 5 June when they come together for Opera North’s Big Sing.
The younger singers are being supported by 2017 Hull UK City of Culture and come from three primary schools in the city: Gillshill Primary School, Ings Primary School and Thanet Primary School; they are joined by Year 7 and 8 pupils from Baysgarth School in Barton Upon Humber, together with pupils from Opera North’s Singing Schools: Adelaide Primary School, Kingswood Parks Primary School and Bude Park Primary School.
A chamber orchestra from the Orchestra of Opera North will accompany the young people as they sing a selection of songs from Stephen Deazley’s Little Book of Monsters, a light-hearted look at mischievous fiends in all their guises. The orchestral ensemble will also play excerpts from Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf with narration by Joseph Shovelton, fresh from his appearance as Pang in the Company’s recent performance of Puccini’s Turandot at City Hall. David Cowan, Opera North’s Head of Music, conducts.
In preparation for the big day, pupils and teachers have been taking part in a series of school-based vocal workshops focused on developing and perfecting singing technique under the guidance of Matthew Roughley, Opera North Education Choral Delivery Artist. The final performance will be the first time all the children have sung together.
Jacqui Cameron, Opera North Education Director, said:
“The Big Sing is a great way of engaging schoolchildren with singing while also giving them the opportunity to perform at an historic local venue with a world class orchestra. The Hull pupils have been particularly taken with this year’s monster theme and have worked really hard to master the music, some of which is quite complex.
“The children are now looking forward to meeting, and singing with, the pupils from the other schools and to being accompanied by the Orchestra of Opera North. The scene is set for a very special performance.”
Opera North’s Big Sing starts at 6pm. Tickets cost £3 per person and can be booked online by clicking here Hull Big Sing is the first in a series of performances with others to follow at Hexham Abbey, Wakefield Cathedral, Huddersfield Town Hall, The Dome in Doncaster and Ripon Cathedral.
Opera North’s Education work is supported by Opera North Future Fund and the Whitaker Charitable Trust. The Big Sing in Hull is supported by the Hull and East Riding Charitable Trust and The Sir James Reckitt Charity, with all performances being supported by 29th May 1961 Charitable Trust. William Jackson Food Group is an Opera North Corporate Member and supports the Opera North Singing School at Bude Park Primary School.
