The first phase of the £60m Royal Opera House creative industries production park opens tonight on the 14-acres of grade II-listed High House Farm in Purfleet. The opening will be marked by a specially commissioned opera, Ludd and Isis, which involves professional singers with members of the Thurrock community.
WHEN you drop into rehearsals over a long period of time, you become more and more intrigued as to how the final show will look. There is an increasing intensity to rehearsals as the date for the world premiere in conjunction with the opening of the Royal Opera House technical facility.
This is a fantastic opportunity to be one of the first to see a world class production made in Thurrock and performed in Purfleet. Professional dancers, singers and musicians from the Royal Opera House will perform alongside the local cast in this spectacular celebration to mark the opening of the High House Production Park and the Royal Opera House Bob and Tamar Manoukian Production Workshop. The workshop will be home to the scenic painters and carpenters of the Royal Opera House.
THE ROYAL Opera House took students from Thameside Infants down to the Port of Tilbury to bring to life Black History month in Thurrock. The setting was appropriate as sixty two years ago, the Windrush ship brought people from the West Indies to settle in the United Kingdom.
It is a fascinating process. Director Tom Guthrie spends a long time with the “people’s” performers, choreographing and nurturing them. It is interesting to watch those involved as we see them in their “ordinary” walks of life. Mike Ostler from the Heritage Groups, Karen Glazzard from the Beehive and Jeffrey Nathan from the Grays Community Forum.
THE VARIETY of acts at T-Fest was quite staggering. We only have a few films left in the locker but one of them was this short but wonderful piece by the Royal Opera House team.
For Stephanie it is the chance of a lifetime. Stephanie is working with the Education Dept learning the admin ropes. For her CV, it is gold-dust and is an example of the kind of opportunities, the ROH have provided.
Run by Royal Opera House artists and professionals, these workshops are part of the preparation for the High House People’s Opera, a community project to celebrate the opening of the Royal Opera House Bob and Tamar Production Workshop in Purfleet in December.