Ryhope Comprehensive School

Operatic role for Ryhope pupils

 

The results of weeks of practice for 12 pupils of Ryhope School was heard in Sunderland Empire on Monday night when they sang in the Welsh National Opera company’s production of “La Boheme”.

 

The seven boys and five girls, aged 11 to 13 and all members of the school’s junior choir, played the roles of aristocrats or urchins in crowd scenes.  Geoffrey O’Hara, Jeffrey Stoker, Colin Lam, John Hedley, Clive Page, Colin Green, Walter Daglish, Pauline Bell, Heather Hopps, Lynn Davis, Margaret Smiles and Lynda Kite had given up some of their spare time to practise and listen to recordings of “La Boheme” to perfect their timing.

 

The company needs pupils from schools where it is playing because it would be unpractical to have a crowd of youngsters touring with the company for scenes such as in “La Boheme”.

 

One of the stars of the company, Mr Thomas Allen, is a former Ryhope School pupil and he contacted the school to ask if the pupils could perform.

 

In addition to the 12 who took part in the singing, about 20 pupils had walk-on parts in other productions, including “Aida”, and Simon Boccanegra”.