Over 200 Camelford Pupils and Families Saw Their First Opera

What happens when you take an entire primary school to the opera? For more than 200 children and their families from a Cornish village school, the answer involved a picnic on Plymouth Hoe, a Welsh National Opera production, and quite a few first-time theatregoers.

Pupils from Camelford Community Primary School made the trip to Theatre Royal Plymouth on Saturday to see Play Opera LIVE – Shipwrecked, performed by the Welsh National Opera.

A day out for the whole school

The grant-funded trip brought together pupils from across the school alongside their siblings and parents for a full day in Plymouth. Before the performance, the group picnicked on The Hoe and took part in pre-opera activities ahead of heading into the theatre.

For many of the children, it was their first experience of opera. The school says pupils were drawn in by the music, costumes and stage design, and threw themselves into the interactive elements of the production.

Joshua, a Year 6 pupil, said: “Hearing a full orchestra with opera singing was so powerful.”

A parent of a Year 3 pupil added: “We had a wonderful day. It was fantastic to have the opportunity to explore something different. My child has had the best time with her friends, and so did I.”

Funded by the Clore Duffield Foundation

The trip was made possible by funding from the Clore Duffield Foundation, which is supporting pupils at Camelford Community Primary in accessing a programme of educational visits across the year.

Headteacher Anne Howard said: “What a fantastic performance and excellent experience for our pupils to be able to share with each other and their families. For many of our pupils this was their first time attending an opera or even a national theatre and, from the expressions on their faces, it was clear how much they enjoyed and were inspired by the production.”

Anne added: “Our sincere thanks to the Clore Duffield Foundation for their incredibly generous support which has facilitated this and a wide range of other trips for our pupils this year. Experiences like this are all part of how we deliver an enriching education to our children and help them to broaden their horizons beyond the classroom.”