HAVING only seen her first opera at 26, Glyndebourne Youth Opera 2’s director Lucy Bradley is keen to introduce young people to the often-misunderstood form.

“It’s incredibly important to make young people feel that Glyndebourne is for them and that they belong there,” she says.

“The group we are working with completely own the place – it doesn’t faze them that they are in a venue steeped in history.”

Bradley is directing Into The Harbour, Carry Me Home – a Glyndebourne Youth Opera production based on the work of Benjamin Britten, which precedes the opera house’s Encore Week from Sunday, November 24.

The piece was devised in collaboration with the nine to 19-year-olds who attend Glyndebourne’s annual programme of workshops and performance to be part of Aldeburgh Music’s national event to mark Britten’s centenary.

Challening songs

The original idea was to get as many young people as possible to sing Britten’s Friday Afternoons song cycle on what would have been the composer’s birthday.

“The music for Friday Afternoons is really accessible and lovely,” says Bradley. “But it didn’t feel right for our older group, who are just that bit more adult.”

Bradley went through Britten’s operatic canon and picked songs from some of his finest works – including A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Albert Herring, Peter Grimes and Billy Budd – to weave into the song cycle.

“The music is really technically difficult, so it’s a challenge for them,” says Bradley. “They love it – they are taking the challenge on. Seeing how excited they are by the music, I feel honoured to have been able to introduce them to it.

“The pieces are really pushing them vocally but they understand the storytelling, which they really love.”

Rather than try to recreate the scenes the songs have been taken from, Bradley and the 80-strong group have woven a school-set story around the pieces, based around the themes of moving from childhood to adulthood, and the growth of consciousness and understanding.

“The younger group act as guides for the older ones, taking on the idea of spirits or creatures from A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” says Bradley.

“The songs are about moments of dilemma.”

One example is a selection from Peter Grimes telling the story of a young person being swept out to sea.

“It’s that moment when you realise you are out of your depth,” says Bradley. “I remember that moment as a child when you realise the sea is more dangerous than you think. With each person it’s a different moment in the narrative.”

Bradley and former Youth Opera graduate Freya Wynn-Jones developed the story before taking suggestions from the group during an intensive summer development week.

As well as choral pieces, the selections include solo moments, allowing those who have been at the youth opera for some time to shine.

In the audience will be Britten’s niece, Sally Schweizer, who will be giving a post-performance talk.

“It’s slightly nerve-wracking,” admits Bradley. “But I think it will be really exciting for the group to meet her and understand the context of Britten as a real person, not a historical figure.”

Into The Harbour, Carry Me Home showing at Glyndebourne, Firle, near Lewes, Friday, November 22. Performance starts 6pm, tickets £7. Call 01273 813813