The opera company boosting the mental wellbeing of Gloucestershire school kids
The Longborough Festival Opera are touring their production of Hansel and Gretel at three schools in the county
An opera company are hoping to improve the mental wellbeing of schoolchildren across Gloucestershire.
The Longborough Festival Opera company, based in the Cotswolds, are bringing the fairy tale Hansel and Gretel to life and touring the production around three schools in the county.
Around 465 school children will take part in workshops as well to engage them with the arts and provide a much-need release after lockdown.
Jess May, Education Creative Producer, said:
"If we don't provide arts education in schools we are depriving this generation of school kids the ability to really extend their imagination and pursue a career in the creative industry.
"We know the arts builds confidence, it helps kids focus, it releases pressure and they can do and think about things they wouldn't have otherwise.
"They can express themselves in a safe environment and they find out they can do things they didn't realise they can do".
Lower Swell Primary School, Cold Aston Primary School and St Gregory the Great RC School in Cheltenham, and St David's Primary and Longborough Primary in Moreton-on-Marsh, will welcome the company this summer.
Workshops will also be put on where children can have a go at acting and singing as well.
The arts industry has also suffered hugely during the pandemic and the tour is also hoped to boost those who work in it as well.
Jess May continued:
"We've tried to make it a wide a net as possible for those working in the industry.
"so we've got four singers, four musicians, two stage managers, we've got a director and an apprentice stage manager too.
"So we've given as many people a two week tour, and finances to support that, as possible".
The production has been created in a Covid-friendly way and will be performed by actors and singers in the playgrounds of schools.
Jess May added:
"It was really important when we developed this playground opera that we had to plan something that was as Covid-proof as possible so we wouldn't have to cancel it.
"So it's going outside in playgrounds and even if we're in tiny bubbles and children are off we can still perform outside.
"Eight months ago we were told we can't sing inside and must be in a ventilated space so we've just reacted to that really".