Children's Opera

The Ice Mountain

Composed and Conducted by Ronald Corp

Libretto by Emma Hill

Directed by Abigail Morris

Designer, Sophia Lovell Smith

Production Manager, Jane Mackintosh

Performed with members of the New London Orchestra

The New London Children's Choir were invited to commission its Musical Director Ronald Corp to write an opera for children which was premiered on Saturday 20 March and Sunday 21 March 2010.

The idea originated with Mineli Wolf (grandmother of two choir members) who suggested Ronald compose an opera to a libretto by Mineli's daughter, Emma Hill. The opera is called 'The Ice Mountain', a story based on a traditional Swiss folk tale.

The Opera marked a significant departure from the Senior Choir’s previous performances as it was the first fully staged production (e.g. evocative staging, lighting and costumes) it has produced and the first that involved all 100 members. Several members also played a range of main solo parts, including the old woman, her husband and son, as well as local villagers. The Opera was the most high profile concert the Senior Choir has produced and presented the young people involved with a significant artistic challenge.

The New London Children's Choir were joined by a professional ensemble from the New London Orchestra.

The project:

•Presented members with the significant challenge of learning a new opera, thereby extending their experience and developing musical and performance skills, confidence and self-esteem.

•Built on the New London Children’s Choir’s reputation for commissioning and premièring new works, adding to the limited repertoire of new works specifically written for children’s voices.

•Encouraged members to consider music as a career. Past members have gone on to study music or performance at higher education level, some going on to forge a career as a profeessional musician professional musicians or singer.

The New London Children’s Choir has a commitment to new music and over the past 15 years has commissioned and premièred over forty new works by UK composers, including Diana Burrell, Simon Bainbridge, Howard Skempton, Philip Cashian, Patrick Nunn, Richard Causton, Gary Carpenter and Morgan Hayes. The Choir aims to promote at least one concert every year in which a substantial new work is commissioned and premièred in addition to the performance of other contemporary repertoire.