Introducing children to opera {Silver Electra by the ETO}

With our Easter holiday in full swing, today I had a real treat for my children, tickets for Silver Electra by the English Touring Opera. The performance was taking place at Wilton’s Music Hall in London, the oldest grand music hall in the world.

Silver Electra by the English Touring Opera

Silver Electra is a show written for children and is suitable for the whole family, reimagining the story of Amelia Earhart, the first woman to fly the Atlantic. My children love watching live performances so I thought they would enjoy trying something new.

The English Touring Opera is the leading touring opera company in the UK with the aim of offering opera to everyone, with a varied repertoire of high-quality professional productions featuring some of the finest talent in opera. My children had never even heard the word before so I didn’t need to worry about any preconceived ideas they had. We found Wilton’s, took our seats and waited for the performance to begin.

It’s 1937: Amelia Earhart, the most famous person on the planet, has gone missing in her silver Electra aeroplane, just as she was approaching the final leg of her first round-the-world flight. 40 years later – and 2,000 miles away in Australia – an elderly woman discovers a jar of freckle cream on the beach. Could it offer a clue to the disappearance of Amelia?

The performance lasted about 60 minutes and my children were engaged throughout. The story was told by a cast of four singers (who played multiple roles), accompanied by a live band and a wide range of percussion instruments. There were some interactive elements which were great for my children but the venue felt quite relaxed, not a typical opera venue at all.

No-one seemed to  mind the children who asked questions loudly (mine!) and we all really enjoyed ourselves. The scenery was simple but really helped set the scene. And at the end of the performance there was the opportunity to ask the cast questions. We loved the experience and the children were given paper aeroplanes to take home, a lovely reminder of a brilliant afternoon.

You can find out more about the English Touring Opera here.