School opera: The Makings of a Star

To prepare for the school opera project, a group of 40-60 students from grades 4 to 6 explores the music, characters, and themes of the production together with their teachers. They discuss the opera’s theme across different subjects, with extensive study materials provided by the Finnish National Opera. Before the performance, the director and pianist visit the school for a full day to rehearse the music and stage direction. The production also features a song that all the students sing together from memory during the dress rehearsal.

On the performance day, students from the school and their families are invited to witness the production in its full glory, including costumes, make-up, sets, singers, and musicians. Students attend the dress rehearsal at 2 p.m., and the production is presented to an external audience at 6 p.m. The school handles the ticket sales, and the proceeds are distributed among the entire school or the classes involved in the performance. The project cost for the school is €700. Many schools use the ticket proceeds to cover this expense and spend the remaining funds on an activity of their choice, such as a school trip.

The opera project’s aim is to inspire students to sing, enhance their self-awareness, develop their social interaction skills, and introduce them to the world of opera, all while creating an invigorating and empowering experience through teamwork.

In 2022, the school opera visited 39 schools across Finland, and in spring 2023, it reached 12 schools nationwide.