Scottish Opera’s Primary Schools Tour is back on the road with a new show.
Vikings! The Quest for the Dragon’s Treasure, is coming to Taynuilt, Dunbeg, Kirn and Strachur primaries from May 7-10.
Jane Davidson MBE, Scottish Opera’s Director of Outreach and Education said they are looking forward to hitting the road.
She added: "This is a tale inspired by Norse legends, our dragon is more closely related to the creatures who feature in Cressida Cowell’s ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ books, or the ones created by JK Rowling and J.R.R. Tolkien.
"We hope that pupils in primary schools across Scotland will delight in this original story, where the Vikings learn that not all treasure consists of gold and jewels, and that living in harmony with the land and the seasons is a lesson they’d be silly to ignore!"
The show promises pupils "a magical journey of magic and mystery", with music by Alan Penman and lyrics by Natalie Arle-Toyne.
It tells the story of an ancient prophecy which sends the Viking Queen and her swashbuckling band of warriors off to steal gemstones from the legendary Ice Dragon, while the sneaky Sorcerer Supreme stays behind, planning to seize power.
The wise villagers foresee that stealing the gems is just the start of their troubles. Soon the sorcerers, Vikings and villagers must work together to restore balance to the land, for they’ve stolen treasure more precious than gold or silver, and the stakes are higher than they could possibly have imagined.
Vikings! forms part of a suite of Scottish Opera’s digital offerings for schools, which includes The Curse of MacCabbra Opera House, featuring music from composer Alan Penman and lyrics from writer and director Johnny McKnight.
Teachers from Taynuilt Primary in Argyll & Bute described performing The Curse of MacCabbra Opera house as ‘fantastic’, adding that for some of the children ‘it has ignited what may turn out to be a lifelong interest in live music and performance’. They also praised the ‘very user-friendly and comprehensive’ learning resources.
A spokesperson added: "Vikings!, which delivers aspects of A Curriculum for Excellence, is designed for primary 5, 6 and 7 pupils, and schools can now engage with the production as a digital only learning and teaching experience, using online resources currently available on Scottish Opera’s website, to prepare the children for all aspects of presenting a performance to an audience.
"This online delivery method — which includes Scottish Opera singers appearing on screen in classrooms to sing alongside the class — makes the project even easier and more affordable for teachers to engage with, particularly in those schools without specialist music teachers at primary level."
Find out more about Vikings! and Scottish Opera’s other Primary Schools productions at www.scottishopera.org.uk/join-in/opera-for-schools.
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