Supported by the Colwinston Charitable Trust and by Rhondda Cynon Taff

Magic Voices was an opera-writing project which was premiered on the 16th June 2005.

Over a period of 6 months young people from South Wales created a new opera inspired by Mozart's opera The Magic Flute. The new piece expressed their ideas, embraced the cross-artform possibilities of opera, and was bursting with their musical energies.

The school groups worked with the composer, writer, director, singers and instrumentalists from Welsh National Opera and participated in workshops exploring The Magic Flute and experiencing scenes from the opera. They also attended the dress rehearsal of WNO's production of The Magic Flute. They generated words, song, music and theatrical ideas of their own which the creative team then wove into a new opera for all these participants to sing as a large ensemble chorus. They were joined by 4 opera singers from the WNO chorus, and an instrumental ensemble of young players and professional players.

Composer:  John O'Hara

Librettist:  Helen Griffin

Director:  Robin Tebbutt

Designer:  Max Jones

Vocal Coach/Mezzo-Soprano:  Kate Woolveridge

Soprano:  Fiona Harrison (WNO chorus)

Mezzo-Soprano:  Amanda Baldwin (WNO chorus)

Tenor:  Simon Curtis (WNO chorus)

Bass:  Gareth Rhys-Davies (WNO chorus)

Magic Voices was part of Songlines, a series of Welsh National Opera projects working with young people from the South Wales valleys to define, explore and respond to the relationship between WNO, Cardiff and the South Wales Valleys through song and singing.  Magic Voices was commissioned by Welsh National Opera.  The Magic Flute Magic Voices project is a partnership between WNO and the Cultural Services of Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council.