Dancing in the aisles

DAVID NICHOLSON, helped by SKYLAR and BEHATI, assess WNO’s Family concert

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OPERA and classical music has to attract the next generation of concert goers to survive and thrive, and Welsh National Opera’s autumn season bows out with a family concert aimed at seven to 14-year-olds.

This is all very praiseworthy, but the way the production is presented is key to it being accessible to a younger generation. The selection of some obscure opera arias to fit within the theme of mythologies from ancient Greece, Rome and Wales left many of the youngsters bemused. With the narration and explanations as to what was happening solely in Welsh with English subtitles next to the stage meant many of the young audience just couldn’t keep up with the action.

But my two young helpers thoroughly enjoyed the evening’s entertainment, and were entranced by the singers and dancers, and that was the point of getting youngsters enjoying live classical music.

Dancers Krystal Lowe and Tom Kemp were value for money for their high energy and dancing which delighted and brought laughter. Especial praise to soprano Alys Roberts who not only sung beautifully, but whose expressive action delighted the young audience.

Nine-year-old Behati particularly liked the dancers, especially when they dressed up as bears and gambolled around the stage, performing cartwheels and forward rolls, while 11-year-old Skylar liked the warlike music of Holst’s Mars, from the Planet Suite.

As part of the attempt to get families in tickets for children in the stalls was priced at £10, which compares favourably to an outing to the cinema, especially considering we were being entertained by a full orchestra, singers and dancers.

The WNO also arranged free face painting before the show and Behati opted for a space themed makeup, while Skylar wanted something more princessy. There were plenty of adults in the theatre who had also succumbed to the joys of face paint, to the delight of the young audience.

The audience was encouraged to slap their legs and clap their hands along with the driving 5/4 beat of Holst’s music, with most joining in. The finale was Offenbach’s CanCan which had children dancing in the aisles with undisguised glee.

Asked if they would go again both Skylar and Behati said yes, which was the whole point of the exercise.

Plays until November 27 — details at wno.org.uk 

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