Archive - Wednesday, 30 June 2004


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Opera premieres at Llangattock

A MONMOUTH school is hosting the Welsh Premiere of a new children's opera.

Pupils of Llangattock School were asked to perform in the opera Travelling Musicians' which is being staged tonight at the school.

The main character is Brave Brigand Brian, who surrounds himself with his crew of robbers, but in reality is a complete coward.

"The opera itself only took two weeks to write," said Peter Banks who composed the musical and only starting writing the opera in January.

"The opera is based around a Brothers Grimm fairy tale and once I started writing, quickly grew into what is today."

The opera contains a cast of ten to 12 characters made up of animals, robbers and thieves with the addition of many extras.

Mr Banks is no stranger to writing plays, having studied at Oxford University he has turned his hand to writing a vast array of plays, musicals and operas.

Organising a group of children would have been no easy task for Peter but he had help from teacher Sam Densham, who has been coaching the children to learn and perform the songs correctly.

Mr Banks said: "I chose Llangattock School to hold the premiere of the Travel-ling Musicians because of my previous connections with the school's head Rose-mary Whaley and the reputation that the school has.

"The music of the opera is based around the style of Gilbert and Sullivan, and during rehearsals I've seen grown up members of the audience trying to spot the references to the different shows."

Mr Banks hopes that one day the Travelling Musicians opera will be published and it is also being entered in the global search for new musicals next year in Cardiff.

Head teacher Ms Whaley said: "We are absolutely thrilled to have this premiere at this school. The children have thoroughly enjoyed learning and producing this musical which gives them all a chance to sing and act.

"Peter is extremely talented and the way he writes makes it easy for children to learn and perform the play. At this school we try to be innovated and this is the latest example."