On Thursday 25 May, Blue Apple performers were invited to take part in an accessible opera workshop organised by Learning@TheGrange which is an initiative of The Grange Festival. This was facilitated by two opera singers; Rob Gildon, baritone and Lynsey Docherty, soprano.

The workshop held at Christchurch in Winchester was a deep dive insight into the story and music of Orfeo ed Euridice to prepare them for attending the Open House Performance at The Grange Festival on Monday 5 June.  

This fun workshop explored storytelling through movement and music.

Blue Apple’s Administrator Elisabeth Yeats-Brown said: “Rob and Lyndsey ran an engaging and fun workshop on how music and movement can tell a story.  We went  through key moments in the story of Orpheus and Eurydice and acted them out using our voices and movement.  Everyone had a lot of fun and we are looking forward to seeing the real thing!”

The opera was first staged in 1762 and is based on an intensely moving story from Greek mythology about a bride who is killed by a snake bite and taken into the underworld where her grief-stricken betrothed journeys to rescue her and return her to the world above. His success hangs on Cupid’s warning that a single direct look into Euridice’s eyes will end her life eternally…

Photos below show Blue Apple performers Tommy Jessop, Ben Tyler, Ros Davies and George Collingwood with Blue Apple volunteers Chris Pearce and Sophie Green and opera singers Rob Gildon and Lynsey Docherty. Photos were taken by Elisabeth Yeats-Brown.