Presented by Dartington Plus and the Royal Opera House
Dartington Plus and the Royal Opera House joined forces for the first time to provide a chance to experience opera for the first time to hundreds of children from the South Hams, Plymouth and Cornwall.
Over 400 children visited the Ariel Centre in Totnes for a specially adapted children’s opera performed by the Royal Opera House on Friday 10th and Saturday 11th March 2006.
The Royal Opera House have turned the classic children’s book Gentle Giant, by award-winning Devon author Michael Morpurgo, into a magical opera for young people and their families, with music by Stephen McNeff and words by playwright Mike Kenny.
The show – which is the Royal Opera House’s first ever opera production in a Devon venue – is performed by a small ensemble of eight singers and instrumentalists and recreates the story of a village community fallen on hard times and the special relationship between a young girl and a giant.
The groundbreaking adaptation was accompanied by workshops for families and schools that offered a fun, practical introduction to the world of opera.
Dartington Plus is a partnership between The Dartington Hall Trust, King Edward VI Community College and University College Falmouth – incorporating Dartington College of Arts. Funded by Arts Council England