More than 800 children are coming to the two performances

More than 800 children from different schools across the Island are attending the two performances of Tom Thumb, part of the Manos a la Ópera initiative. The first showing took place today, Thursday, the 16th at Sala de Cámara in Auditorio de Tenerife; it is put on again tomorrow, the 17th at 11:00 am. This Ópera de Tenerife activity is part of the Social and Educational Area of Auditorio, with the collaboration of Fundación Cepsa and Obra Social la Caixa.

In Manos a la Ópera they create a free version of an original opera and students, their schools, and parents are involved throughout the creative process.  The participating schools this year are CEIP Ernesto Castro Fariña, CEIP Las Retamas and CEO Leoncio Rodríguez, totalling sixty students.

The importance of this programme lies in the fact that in going through the creative process, participants work in different creative areas including literary creation, music, theatre, visual arts and body language. Ópera de Tenerife offers workshops where they learn the skills and resources to complete the phases involved in building a show.

This programme was started in 2012 and has already put on titles like PinocchioHansel & Gretel or Puss in Boots, with over 8,800 people attending the previous shows.

The project has two different stages: in the first one, students and teachers work together at school taking care of different aspects and recording the voices for the performance. In the second phase, participants come to Auditorio de Tenerife, and during the week of the show, they rehearse at Sala de Cámara, where the performance will take place.

Manos a la Ópera focuses on areas of knowledge of children’s education: self-knowledge and self-sufficiency, the surroundings, the language of communication and representation. Also, the role played by the whole education community, including the family, is fundamental as they take active part in the creative process.