Gothic opera for pupils

PRIMARY school pupils in Shetland can look forward to ghosts, ghouls and gothic goings-on early next month as Scottish Opera brings ‘The Curse of the MacCabbra Opera House’ to the islands.

The 30-minute opera for children in primaries five, six and seven will be performed in 19 isles schools between Monday 2 June and Friday 6 June.

The production follows writers Compo Zerr and Libby Retto as they work late into the night to finish their new opera at the MacCabbra Opera House. But there’s more to their helpful host Dee Parton than meets the eye, and as the clock strikes midnight the singers, workers and critics of the old Opera House rise from their graves to give Compo and Libby some horrifying help.

Described as a “chilling gothic tale with a good dose of comedy”, ‘The Curse of the MacCabbra Opera House’ features music from composer Alan Penman and lyrics from writer and director Johnny McKnight. Pupils will play the roles of the singers, workers and critics of the McCabbra, with Scottish Opera performers taking on the roles of Compo, Libby and Dee.

Pupils learn the words and music for the opera in their own classrooms before being visited by a team of arts education specialists and performers who spend a day with the pupils to prepare them for a performance in their school for classmates, friends and family.

Scottish Opera’s director of education and outreach Jane Davidson said: “I’m sure all the pupils involved in ‘The Curse of the MacCabbra Opera House’ will have a great time rehearsing and performing its ghostly goings-on.

“This is a production that gives pupils not just the chance to perform, but also to learn more about the work needed to put on an opera or theatre performance, which will really get their creative juices flowing, and give them an insight into what it’d be like to work in the theatre industry.”