COME AND PLAY
Our community is waiting to welcome you onto the stage for the exhilarating and uplifting experience of creating opera together.
Each year we offer around 40 interactive, fun-filled workshops catering to a mix of abilities and experience levels. These workshops are the building blocks of our gala concerts and celebrated Edinburgh Fringe performances which take place in August each year.
We’re here for all ages and platform budding artists in their 20s to retirement as well as celebrating some very high level talents of our members.
We cannot pretend that opera is easy, but what we can do is open the gates so that all who relish the unique challenges it presents, can participate in a journey much like the professional singers of the world stage.
ORCHESTRA: We’ve been so fortunate to work with some of Scotland’s newest generation of professional orchestral players through our collaboration with Suzanne Godet. We’re proud to have performed alongside highly skilled players form NYOS, RCS and more to bring the magic of opera to Edinburgh Fringe. We’re always looking for new names to add to our roster, particularly emerging and early career professionals but also high level amateurs. Get in touch if you’d like to be part of our next production.
PROPS, SET AND COSTUME: Our props set and costume are designed and compiled by volunteers working closely with the company (usually regular members. The logistics of this are designed around each specific project, but if you’re handy with a sewing machine, hammer or paintbrush let’s get a conversation started.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will I have to learn another language?
We’re very proud of our expanding multicultural community and work with singers of many nationalities. Since we’re in Scotland all sessions are delivered in English, but the material we cover will most often be sung in Italian, German or French.
We do this because these are the languages of historic opera’s and it gives the opportunity to perform the works as the composer intended. Once you get used to it, it’s often easier to sing with the vowels of the original languages than it is to sing them in English, and we offer support in session and with audio files where requested too.
How much does membership cost?
As a registered charity our members pay an annual subscription split over 12 month installments of £40 or £20 for unwaged/low income members.
This helps cover our core costs of providing weekly workshops throughout the year as well as contributing to our yearly residential week, Edinburgh Fringe Productions and Gala Concerts.
When and Where do you rehearse?
We rehearse on Monday Evenings in Edinburgh City from 7-9.30pm. Additional workshop and rehearsals are arranged as needed, and presently additional time is available with our accompanist on Monday afternoons via a supporting initiative lead by our members.
In July we hold an intensive residential rehearsal week in Ardentinny on Loch Long. Read more
I’m just a beginner, is this for me?
Yes! There’s no denying that Opera is hard. But the challenges are well worth the rewards. We encourage members to build their music reading and singing skills with the support of our professional music team, but we always have a core of singers with a range of abilites.
The better readers and stronger voices support the development of the newcomers making progress fast and fullfilling without the pressure of carrying a whole opera as a complete newbie.
Got questions?
Reach out.
