Stars of the future (From Penarth Times)

Stars of the future

OPERA stars of the future sang in Penarth last week when 15 students visited the town from the National Opera Studio in London.

Stanwell School played host to the budding singers who are under the tutelage of Penarth resident Donald Maxwell.

He said: "I have spent many years living in Penarth and regularly come back to sing with the Welsh National Opera (WNO).

It was a real privilege to be able to bring the students under my care to my home town to show off their talents.

He added: "I was delighted to see so many Penarthians at the concert - I live in a very cultured town you know!"

The young singers came from all over the world including Europe and Australia to train with the WNO in Cardiff.

Each year WNO welcomes them to Cardiff to give them experience of working with a professional opera company.

The group spent several days working with groups of young people at four secondary schools in the Vale of Glamorgan on education workshops about opera.

Mr Maxwell addded: "It was a real treat for me to see the relationships that built up very quickly between the singers and the school pupils."

One of the teachers added: "The project was a complete success in our school, and we all had a great evening - many were also impressed by the orchestra.

Most of the pupils had never seen an orchestra of that size, live before."

The singers performed a number of duets and ensembles from a number of operas.

They were accompanied by the world class orchestra of the Welsh National Opera and conducted by young Polish conductor Michael Klauza.