IF opera for babies and children under three sounds well, slightly bizarre, then think again.
After all, children, even tiny ones, love sounds and shapes, so why not opera.
An event being staged at this year’s Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival offers a 20 minute performance of movement, music and song, called Korall Koral.
It takes place inside a shell-shaped tent with specially designed instruments resembling sea creatures - such as a sea horse harp, a bagpipe creature and a glass chime jellyfish!
The baby opera will be performed twice daily over the final weekend of the festival (November 24 and 25) both at the University of Huddersfield’s Creative Arts Building and in Dewsbury Town Hall.
After the performance, babies and their grown-ups are welcome to explore the tent and its contents!
The opera is part of the festival’s highly successful Learning and Participation programme and is a co-production between Hanne Dieserud and Christina Lindgren in cooperation with The Norwegian Opera and Ballet and The Norwegian Touring Theatre. The music is by Maja S K Ratkje.
Other participatory events include the return of the popular Pop-Up Art School at the University of Huddersfield. It’s a free day of art workshops for all ages run by students from the University’s School of Education and Professional Development, which this year is inspired by Claudia Molitor’s Remember Me and the theme of memory.
The Pop-Up Art School is in the Atrium of the university’s Creative Arts Building on November 19 from 2pm - 4pm.
