How can opera play a part in developing essential skills in young people – curiosity, leadership, persistence, resilience? Combining a broad range of expressive arts – music, drama, dance, design, creative writing and visual arts – we use opera to nurture creativity and give young people a platform from which to explore and develop their imagination.
The Grange Festival is continuing its Learning@TheGrange programme for schools and the local community, sharing its passion for opera and dance with young and old alike. Our aim is to demystify opera and dance, and create exciting and stimulating opportunities to engage with the Hampshire public.
At a time when the performing arts, especially music, are increasingly being side-lined in the national curriculum, we are committed to helping our local schools to keep the arts alive. We are engaging with young people and their teachers to spark creativity, build confidence and develop the emotional intelligence and balanced mental state they require for their future lives.
For the wider community, we will be opening our doors, welcoming people to our magnificent theatre and the beautiful setting of The Grange with a greater range of out-of-season events. We will also be taking our knowledge and expertise into schools and youth groups and touching the more fragile members of our community, for whom we hope to provide life-enhancing support with interactive and inspiring workshops.
We are proud to present our first community opera, Jonathan Dove’s masterpiece The Monster in the Maze an ambitious projecting bringing together over 200 Hampshire children, teenagers, family and friends – exciting times ahead! This was meant to be a part of our 2020 main season; however due to Covid-19 this project has been postponed.
Susan Hamilton
Head of Learning@TheGrange
Out of Darkness into Light
An ambitious digital project bringing together 50 performers from England and Holland
Watch NowAs a response to Mental Health Awareness Week, this project was designed to help us escape our upside-down world, and process the challenges we face through creative activity.
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