YOUNG Teesside musicians appeared in front of packed houses for an ambitious new opera production.

The youngsters were performing The Kingfisher’s Tale, an opera for young people written especially for them by eminent local musician and composer, John Forsyth MBE

Children’s choir, Tees Valley Voices, and Egglescliffe School Training Choir were accompanied by a twelve-strong orchestra, which included some of the Tees Valley’s most outstanding young instrumentalists.

The hour-long opera was performed for the first time at the Hazel Pearson Theatre at Middlesbrough College on Sunday, October 14 and was conducted and directed by John Forsyth.

The two performances followed two weekends of stage rehearsals.

Joan Carter, Chair of Tees Valley Voices, said: “The feedback forms left by some of those who attended described the songs as being ‘excellent’, the incidental music ‘superb’, the orchestra ‘brilliant’ and the onstage performances ‘magnificent’ and asked for ‘more, please’.  It doesn’t get much better than that.”

The production, which was funded by a grant from Youth Music’s Open Programme, with matchfunding from The Sponsors Club for Arts and Business, also had a positive effect on the young singers involved.

Tees Valley Voices welcomes any young singers between the ages of eight and 14.  For more information, email info@teesvalleyvoices.org.uk or ring Joan Carter on 01642 656273.