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About

Join Victorian Opera in a series of four online workshops and a recorded performance of our education opera, Parrwang Lifts the Sky.

Ideal for Primary School students in Years Foundation to 6. Aligns with Australian Curriculum General Capabilities and Learning Areas in:

  • The Arts – Music, Drama and Visual Arts
  • English

Supported by a downloadable Education Resource with curriculum-aligned classroom activities tailored to each workshop.

Program cost

  • For Access All Areas livestream, the cost is $1 per student with no extra charge for teachers.

Workshop Details

All four workshops will be live streamed directly into your classroom on the dates listed below. All content is available on-demand for up to six (6) months from the livestream date, giving you and your students three extra views. Each workshop is easily accessed online using the unique log-in details sent to schools in the week before the first workshop begins.

Workshops run for approximately 30 minutes each and will include a variety of interactive activities. Please note, workshop content is subject to change.

Workshop 1: What is opera?

Begin your journey into the world of opera and be serenaded by opera singers as they demonstrate a range of voice types unique to the art form.

Workshop 2: Exploring Wadawurrung Culture

Hear from respected Wadawurrung woman Corrina Eccles about Language and Culture and what this story means to the People of the Wadawurrung Country. Learn traditional language to sing along with the cast.

Workshop 3: Creating the world of the education opera

Follow along as the director stages a scene with members of the cast and learn about set and costume designs that bring this production to life on stage.

Workshop 4: The Orchestra

Join the orchestra in rehearsal as the production moves into the theatre. Meet the conductor and musicians and learn about the instruments they play.

Performance

See all of the elements from the workshops combine as you watch a recording of the performance from the comfort of your classroom. Your students can join-in and sing-a-long with the final song of the opera sung in traditional Wadawurrung Language after learning the song through the 4 workshops.

The 2024 Show

Parrwang Lifts the Sky

Did you know that magpies created the first dawn?

Victorian Opera is pleased to restage this adaption of the Wadawurrung creation story Parrwang Lifts the Sky. Written by Deborah Cheetham Fraillon AO, this family and education production follows the story of how Parrwang (the magpie) helps her human friends Tjatarrang (Big Sister) and Koki (Brother) create the first dawn. Lifting the blanket of darkness from the world is only possible by convincing The Great Council of Birds led by Bunjil (Eagle).

The 2023 Show

The Grumpiest Boy in the World

Our hero, Zachary, questions his own ordinariness as he discovers an imaginary world of giants, hairy creatures, and flying things in this eye-opening opera for children. Featuring a score from Joseph Twist, known for his stellar musical direction on hit children’s TV show, Bluey, alongside Sidney Myer Fellowship librettist and much-loved children’s author, Finegan Kruckemeyer, this opera will be an enriching tale for children and adults alike.

To get an idea of how Access All Areas works, check out the education resources in the button below. Here you will find the Visual Story resource and Access All Areas workshop resource which includes interactive pdf documents to use on the classroom projector and printable worksheets.

How to Book

  • Click on the ‘Register Now’ button below and follow the prompts to register your school to participate in the program.
  • An order confirmation will be sent to your email address upon successfully completing the registration and an invoice for payment will follow shortly after.
  • We’ll send you the log-in details to access the program once payment has been received.
  • Log on to Access All Areas to learn about and watch Parrwang Lifts the Sky.

Sponsors