Opportunity for young singers

Aberdeen International Youth Festival today announces an opportunity for young singers to get involved in a special new project, working with Haddo Junior Choirs and the RSAMD, to present a performance of Britten’s Little Sweep at Haddo and in Aberdeen in August.

A first for Haddo Junior Choirs, AIYF & RSAMD

This special production, in partnership with the RSAMD to be performed as part of the 2008 Aberdeen International Youth Festival at Haddo House and in Aberdeen.

A wonderful opportunity has arisen for singers from Haddo Junior Choirs to work alongside Opera students and Music Director from the RSAMD, as well as a professional Theatre Director.

This will be a unique experience open to all singers aged 9-18. There will be soloists spaces as well as a large chorus of required, so there is plenty of scope for a large number to take part in this unique project.

There will be weekly rehearsals on Wednesday in Ellon from 16 April 2008, and daily rehearsals from Saturday 26 July until the performances on Wednesday 6, Thursday 7, Friday 8 and Saturday 9 August.

For more information about how to take part, visit the website at http://www.aiyf.org/ or telephone the Aberdeen International Youth Festival on 01224 213800.

The Little Sweep - an opera for children and families

The Little Sweep is part of Britten’s ‘Entertainment for Young People’. It is a morality tale which finds young Sam sold into service as a sweep to two cruel masters. He is discovered and hidden by the children of a big house he has been cleaning. Will they be able to help him escape from his cruel employers?

The production is a full theatrical experience with lots of dramatic opportunities, choral singing and even an audience song or two. It is a great way of introducing young audiences to the conventions of opera with a simple yet affecting story with which they can sympathise and identify.