On Tuesday 6th February, Longfleet School had a very special visit from a touring opera company called Opera Magic. They gave a performance for all of the children in the school. This was also Dexter's Day and we all enjoyed dressing up to make a special occasion even more memorable. Thank you to SoundStorm and Opera Magic!

A little bit about opera....

Opera is like a play or film but with music added and the characters are not just actors who speak but are opera singers who tell the story by singing the words. Opera is usually accompanied by an orchestra and sometimes by a pianist playing a piano.
Some people might think opera is not for them without having heard any. But give it a try because opera really can be even more exciting than a play or film as there is the wonderful music and singing as well as people acting the story. It can be particularly exciting when the singers are close to you as they will be when you see Opera Magic. You might be surprised by the sheer volume of the human voice.
Many great composers have written operas and names to look out for are Mozart, Rossini, Verdi, Puccini, Offenbach and Gilbert and Sullivan.

Music can be a way of expressing emotions when words might not come so easily. We can put our feelings into the music we are playing and express ourselves in a unique way. The people listening share in this emotional experience too!

Here are illustrations of the four main voice categories: Soprano (the highest female voice), Mezzo-Soprano (lower in range), Tenor (the highest male voice) and Baritone (lower in range, the lowest voice you will hear in Opera Magic).

A Policeman's Lot Is Not A Happy One (lyrics)

When a felon's not engaged in his employment

Or maturing his felonious little plans

His capacity for innocent enjoyment

Is just as great as any honest man’s

Our feelings we with difficulty smother

When constabulary duties to be done

Oh take one consideration with another

A policeman's lot is not a happy one

Ah…. When constabulary duties to be done, to be done

A policeman's lot is not a happy one! 

Some of our Musician Of The Month composers have written operas...