W11 Opera for Children & Young People

Since it was founded in 1971 W11 Opera for Children and Young People has commissioned and produced 33 new operas, more than any other UK company, providing a rich repertoire for its cast of 9 to 18 year old children and young people. Our productions are staged each year with auditions in September, rehearsing through to the performances in December, in recent years at the iconic Riverside Studios in Hammersmith, enjoyed by an audience of over 1,000.

Our long term mission is to create a workable repertoire of through-sung pieces that can be staged by schools and community groups. A W11 commission is as likely to hail from the rock, jazz or musical comedy genres as it is to embrace many-layered contemporary classical writing. We have been in Ancient Greece, India, China, Africa; we have set foot in the mountains of Wales, Prussia and the New World. We have been inside computer games and anthills; we have fought epic battles at the bottom of the sea and the back room of a corner shop. We have travelled from Waterloo Station to the end of the universe. And every year our young cast has gone home inspired, excited and with their imaginations fizzing.

If you are interested in auditioning to sing and perform in our next Opera, please look at W11 Life  to find out what it is like to be involved in a production. If you require financial support, help is available.

W11 Opera has a strong community base in the West London area and provides a unique opportunity for young people and children from all backgrounds to become involved in opera. It is also an invaluable showcase for contemporary composers and directors.

Please explore our website to find out more about W11 Opera, said to be “one of the best kept secrets in the opera world”. If you are inspired to offer sponsorship or would like to discuss composing a new work for our cast in the future do contact us at w11@w11opera.org.

Find out about our commissions

Visit our online archive of  productions from Past Years to learn more about W11 Opera’s unique achievements. Read synopses and reviews, see pictures of the productions, watch videos and listen to the music.