WNO Soap Opera project in Wrexham
WELSH National Opera is collaborating with the town of Wrexham on a brand new soap opera.
The stories of local people will inspire the scripts for the project.
Nine Stories High is part of a three-year programme of work entitled Wrexham Street Songs which WNO is delivering from September 2011 to September 2014.
Set in the town of Wrexham and featuring a cast of rising stars from the opera world, Nine Stories High is a soap opera with a difference; it will be influenced by the real-life stories and dramas of local people attending a series of workshops run by WNO at Wrexham Museum from this month.
“There are so many misconceptions around opera so we thought this might be an original and fun way of introducing people to the real thing,” says Claire Cressey, producer for Nine Stories High.
“I think the big surprise will be realising how many parallels there are with television soap operas, which are so familiar to most and actually borrow a lot from traditional opera.
“Forget fat ladies singing; opera is full of intrigue, scandal, murder, dysfunctional families and villains plotting. You name it, opera’s got it.
“What we want the people of Wrexham to do is come on board and join in workshops where they can create work using writing, film, photography and art.
“They can also contribute stories and ideas to our team of professional writers who will be writing each soap opera episode.”
The loose storyline features a crop of characters linked to the fictional Field family. This month, workshops will start to create the first three episodes in a series of nine. The locations for Nine Stories High are going to include some popular destinations in the town, like the indoor market and the bingo hall.
“Three teams of writers, composers and directors will create each five minute episode that will be performed live as well as filmed on the streets of Wrexham,” adds Cressey.
“We’ve set up a Facebook page (www.facebook.com/streetsongs) where people can follow up what is happening between episodes by discussing each cliffhanger storyline.”
The workshops begin on Tuesday and the first episode will be performed live in Wrexham on October 1. The remaining episodes will be created on a monthly basis, culminating in a promenade performance throughout the town in May 2012.
The workshops are open to existing groups in Wrexham, such as schools, businesses and community organisations. For more information, email claire.cressey@wno.org.uk.
Read MoreCommunity Engagement
Grassroots/Company 5
- Do you want to act?
- Do you want to improve your communication skills and work as a team?
We are running two new diverse community theatre groups where participants can learn skills in acting, voice and movement, whilst all the time developing confidence and communication skills. Young people aged between 14 and 20 can participate in the Grassroots group, while anyone aged 20+ is welcome to join Company 5.
It is totally free to join and you don’t need any previous experience.
Grassroots – Wednesday: 4.00pm – 5.30pm
58 Charles Street, Cardiff (off Queen St).
Company 5 – Tuesday: 5.00pm – 6.30pm
Plasnewydd Community Centre, Shakespeare Street, Cardiff
For more information about any of our Community Engagement workshops or projects please contact Heather Jones 029 2064 6911
Cauldrons & Furnaces @ Blaenavon World Heritage Day – 25th June 2011
Whether you like to compose music, take digital photographs, get your hands messy in craft projects, write your own poetry or simply be an audience member, Head for Arts’ programme of activities at this years’ Blaenavon World Heritage Day had something for everyone.
These creative activities were designed to encourage people to get involved in the arts, to try something new and to give them a taste of some of the activities that Head for Arts will be developing in the North Torfaen area over the next year as part of the “Cauldrons & Furnaces” project.
During this hectic day, Head for Arts held participatory workshops on the Ironworks Site and at the Heritage Centre, hosted a dance performance in the town centre and organised for local school children to perform a carnival dance piece in the parade. Overall the day was a great success and with over 150 people taking part in arts activities.
Head for Arts now has its sights set on the site-specific performance that will be taking place in Blaenavon Ironworks Site on 29 &30 June 2012. If you would like to be involved in this spectacular event which is part of a series of projects celebrating the Cultural Olympiad in Wales then please get in touch!
Read More
Community Music Tutor Training Course
Our Community Music Tutor Training programme has been running since 1992, with trainees receiving accreditation from 1997. CMW has had a huge success rate, with over 500 people going through the course. CMW’s tutors are skilled musicians who through the training programme, have converted their skills to a credible and real work potential, many of which were initially unemployed and seeking work. Tutors range in age and gender but all are committed to using music as a way of engaging people to make a real difference.
In addition to giving individuals the skills to become freelance Community Music Tutors, trainees have also gone on to set up their own community based initiatives using music as a powerful engagement tool.
The Course covers a range of theory and practice in community music, with practical workshops from professional community music trainers. They include Group Work skills, Assertiveness, Devising and Adapting workshop material, Facilitating client learning and growth, Working with Soft Outcomes and Transferable Skills, an awareness of Child Protection, Insurance, Assessing Basic Skills, Health and safety, Equal opportunities and diversity, and Best Practice.
Our courses are Agored Cymru accredited. Training is designed with a structure, method and ethos, which reflects the job of a community music tutor i.e. the course is a valuable rehearsal for the job itself. Training is based partly on self-assessment – trainees assess their own strengths and weaknesses. Through personal experience of being in a group in a learning environment, each trainee will gain an appreciation and understanding of group dynamics and group processes.
This is a part time course which includes taught session, placement time and a residential weekend, over a period of one year.
Courses are designed for the following groups, but can benefit a wide range of people:
· Musicians who want to become self-employed community music tutors
· Those with music skills who would like to use those skills in a community setting
· Individual Music teachers/tutors who would like to work with groups
· Those with music skills, who work with disadvantaged groups or who would like to
incorporate music into the work of their organisation
· Youth Workers
· Community Organisations
· Local Authority Officers
Not only has the course benefitted people in Wales it is also highly regarded internationally, with CMW delivering courses in Latvia, Germany, Cuba, Israel, Canada and Bolivia over the past 10 years.
Read More