On 26 October pupils from Antwerp’s Onze-Lieve-Vrouwecollege presented the result of months of preparation. Together with the Antwerp Cathedral Choir, they had been working on their own interpretation of Berlioz’ La Damnation de Faust.

The tale of Faust, who sells his soul to the devil, was the starting point for this project. Pupils focussed separately on singing, drama, dance and art,guided by the Flanders Opera’s education department. Pupils showed off the fruits of their labour in a genuine musical-theatre performance on the main stage of the Flanders Opera.

Flanders Opera’s education department

Every year, the Flanders Opera supports a number of different school projects, tailored to the needs of the school and age group concerned. Pupils usually work on a specific opera. After the school project based on La Damnation de Faust there are a number of other projects planned for the 2012-2013 season:

• A school project based on Nabucco with pupils from the 1st and 5th years of ASO from Aalst’s Koninklijk Atheneum
• A school project based on Parsifal with the 4th year of BSO (clerical work, catering/care, hairdressing) from Ghent’s Onze Lieve Vrouweinstituut
• A DIVO-DIVA project with the Home Claire Residential Care Centre