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Jubilee Opera, based in Suffolk, offers a platform for children in the community to explore an exciting world of music, song and performance.
Jubilee Opera was formed in 1987 as a result of a production of Britten’s ‘Noye’s Fludde’ in Aldeburgh Church, the first time it had been performed there. Such was the enthusiasm in the local community that it was decided to start an opera company for young aspiring performers to work with professionals on productions of the highest possible quality and standard. The aim was to give children, with little opportunity elsewhere, the chance to discover their own abilities and to develop their musical and performance skills, thus engendering a lifelong love of the performance arts. This is what lies at the heart of Jubilee Opera’s ethos.
In response to growing demand, Jubilee Opera formed Jubilee Opera Chorus, which meets periodically throughout the year for training and coaching and from which the main productions are cast.
The Company is run by Artistic Director Jenni Wake-Walker and an experienced, dedicated team of volunteers. Skilled professionals, composers, conductors, directors, singers, instrumentalists and designers are brought in to work with the children and perform in the main productions.
Past performances include:
Noye’s Fludde – Benjamin Britten
The Little Sweep – Benjamin Britten
The Happy Prince – Malcolm Williamson
Cinderella – Peter Maxwell Davies
James and the Giant Peach. – Douglas Young
All the King’s Men – Richard Rodney Bennett
The Pied Piper of Hamelin – Jonathan Willcocks
Brundibár – Hans Krása
The Drummer Boy of Waterloo – David Stoll and Megg Nicol
Hip Hip! Horatio – Michael Hurd arr. Timothy Henty
A Time There Was – Benjamin Britten
The Tailor of Gloucester – Trad. arr Andrew Plant
The Winter Star – Malcolm Williamson
Saint Nicolas – Benjamin Britten
The Casket Girl – Russell Hepplewhite
Jubilee Opera has performed a number of times at the Aldeburgh Festival and at the Young Norfolk Arts Festival, and has broadcast live on Radio 3. In 2013 five of the company’s trebles took part in Mahogany Opera’s tour of Britten’s Three Church Parables to St. Petersburg, Southwark Cathedral and Buxton Festival.
Artists who have performed with Jubilee Opera include:
Conductors
Steuart Bedford Ben Parry Nicholas Collon Graham Ross Stephen Westrop William Carslake Dominic Peckham
Timothy Henty Alice Farnham Lee Reynolds Jack Ridley
Singers
Bryan Drake Alan Oke Richard Lloyd Morgan Nuala Willis
Stefan Holmström Andrew Slater Charmian Bedford
Julian Close Stephen Brown Emma Carrington Andrew Staples
Lexi Hutton Alex Ashworth Peter Brathwaite Piotr Lampa James Hall Rob Gildon Matthew Kellett Sofia Troncoso
Directors
Basil Coleman. Richard Gregson Frederic Wake-Walker
Denny Sayers Alys Kihl Lucy Bradley Sue Moore
And a host of professional pianists and instrumentalists.