Opera no longer a 'what if' experience for distance students
June 2009
Capricornia School of Distance Education students Elvis Delaney, Patrick Mills, Daniel Morris and Emily Mattingly performing drama exercises in the lead up to their WotOpera presentation.
What would happen if about 100 Queensland students, including several who studied via distance education, came together to write and perform their own operas?
The answer is WotOpera, an education initiative run by Opera Australia.
On June 5, students from Capricornia School of Distance Education; Glenmore, Mount Morgan and North Rockhampton state high schools; and Emmaus College gathered at Rockhampton's Pilbeam Theatre to stage their own operas.
The performances were the result of several weeks' preparation, working alongside staff from Opera Australia.
Fifteen students in Years 6 to 11 from Capricornia School of Distance Education took part in the program.
Through two teleconferences and a week of intense half-day sessions, they were introduced to the concepts of opera and guided through developing a performance from scratch including creating the characters, libretto and music.
A week later they joined the other students in Rockhampton for an onstage rehearsal and performance.
Head of campus Marg Cathcart said some of the young musicians travelled up to 400km to take part.
Ms Cathcart said she was impressed with the students' presentation.
'The plot from their opera Blood and Water was very entertaining and they performed brilliantly,' she said.
'Among the distance education students were four students with disabilities, as well as several who are enrolled with us due to medical conditions.
On song ... The school's entire cast outside Rockhampton's Pilbeam Theatre before their community performance.
'For these students, it allowed them to step outside their normal worlds and become another character, an experience they enjoyed immensely.'
Graeme Wood, founder of Wotif.com, former Queenslander of the Year and ambassador for Year of Creativity in Queensland schools, helps fund WotOpera.
Mr Wood said the theme of WotOpera was inspiring creativity.
'As a long-term admirer and regular opera goer, I was struck by the absence of Australian composers and the ageing audiences,' Mr Wood said.
'I approached Opera Australia to run a pilot program whereby high school students are given the challenge of creating their own opera with guidance from Opera Australia professionals.
'The proposition was that the only way for opera in Australia to flourish in the future and to include Australian themes was to engage young Australians as part of its re-invention.'
For more information, visit the WotOpera website 
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