{"id":94232,"date":"2025-07-08T12:27:32","date_gmt":"2025-07-08T11:27:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chethamsschoolofmusic.com\/?p=94232"},"modified":"2025-10-05T23:25:22","modified_gmt":"2025-10-05T22:25:22","slug":"chethams-opera-a-year-of-learning-a-lifetime-of-impact","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chethamsschoolofmusic.com\/blog\/chethams-opera-a-year-of-learning-a-lifetime-of-impact\/","title":{"rendered":"Chetham\u2019s Opera: A Year of Learning, a Lifetime of Impact"},"content":{"rendered":"

Chetham\u2019s School of Music presented its first fully staged opera, L\u2019Enfant et les sortil\u00e8ges<\/em><\/strong> by Maurice Ravel, performed by students aged 14\u201319 at Stoller Hall on 2 and 3 July 2025. Boldly reimagined and professionally produced, this emotionally charged work was both a showcase of extraordinary young talent and a powerful example of what\u2019s possible when young people are given the space and trust to create.<\/p>\n

The opera marked the culmination of a year-long journey for Chetham\u2019s vocal students. Over twelve months, they explored the opera\u2019s characters, learned to sing in French with the help of a language coach, studied staging and dramaturgy, and auditioned for roles, immersing themselves in every aspect of what it takes to become an opera artist. Working alongside a professional creative team including director Genevieve Raghu<\/strong>, set and costume designer Lara Booth<\/strong>, and lighting designer Ben Ormerod<\/strong>, the students experienced the full scope of opera as a living, collaborative art form.<\/p>\n

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Matthias Robinson (Le Chat) and Lily Rugg (La Chatte)<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cFrom the first few workshops to staging the production, this was such an amazing experience,\u201d says Lily Rugg<\/strong>, a Year 13 vocal student performing the role of La Chatte. \u201cAt the start of the process, I really had no concept of just how much time and work goes into bringing an opera to life, but this opportunity to work alongside industry professionals has greatly developed my understanding of the industry. It\u2019s made me realise I want to do this professionally, and that I actually can.\u201d<\/p>\n

In this production, Ravel\u2019s playful opera was reframed as a dark and moving exploration of trauma and memory. The Child was now a young soldier, wounded on the front lines of the First World War, spiralling into a dreamscape where objects and memories come to life. Sung in French by an all-student cast, the opera became a surreal reckoning with childhood, guilt and healing. The lead role of the Child was played by Divine Simbanegavi<\/strong>, a Chetham\u2019s alumna now studying Music at St Catherine\u2019s College, Oxford University.<\/p>\n

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A post shared by Chetham’s School of Music (@chethams_school)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n