A SEARCH has been launched for budding young singing stars in Wrexham and Flintshire to join a new youth opera group and open the doors to success.

Welsh National Opera (WNO) is hoping to inspire the next generation of budding opera stars across North Wales by launching a youth group for talented singers aged 14-18 who are interested in trying opera.

WNO’s current Youth Opera group, for ages eight to 14, meets every Wednesday at Venue Cymru in Llandudno and has 22 young members.

With many of the existing members hitting their teens, WNO decided to establish a second group in North Wales for 14-18-year-olds from September with the ambition of attracting some new faces.

The group is open to any young person who loves singing, acting or performing. Importantly, no prior experience of opera is necessary and bursaries are also available to help with travel costs.

Members develop their voices under the expert guidance of Musical Director Jenny Pearson who takes them through vocal warm-ups and works on breath control and how to utilise the whole range of their voice, while Opera Director Patrick Young puts all their skills into practice with appropriately-pitched operatic songs.

WNO regularly issues call outs for child opera stars for its productions and members are always encouraged to audition.

The Leader:

Erin Hornsby is pictured with Morgana Warren-Jones, WNO’s youth and community project manager for North Wales

One of those already reaching the dizzy heights of stardom is 15-year-old Erin Hornsby who won a professional role just a year after joining the company’s current North Wales-based Youth Opera group for children aged eight to 14.

Last November, Erin, sent a homemade voice demo created in her garage to the producers of WNO’s The Magic Flute – and was astounded to be invited for an audition.

The talented singer, who recorded the demo on her mobile phone, impressed the casting panel so much she went on to win the part, touring entertainment venues across England and Wales – including the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff – from February through to early May as one of ‘The Three Boys’ child spirits.

“I honestly never expected when I sent it off to get a call back,” admitted Erin, who has five sisters aged from 15 to 28.

“I couldn’t make the actual audition date so I sent off a voice demo. An email came back asking whether I could audition the following Monday. I went along and performed the song and got an email back the next day saying they would like me to take the part.

“It was my first ever role and it was really exciting. The boys I worked with were amazing. If it wasn’t for the youth group I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to go off and do what I have done.

“It was an opportunity I could never turn down. A year ago I would never ever have considered myself as an opera singer, I went in completely blind. Once I started though I was hooked.”

Are you interested in joining WNO’s Youth Opera groups in North Wales, including the new 14-18 group launching in September? Contact Morgana Warren-Jones at morgana.wj@wno.org.uk or call 01492 556681