GOING to the opera might seem a very grown-up pastime, but more than 4,500 Bermuda schoolchildren found out this week that it can be fun for them too.

The City Hall Theatre has been packed with eight- to 12-year-olds for three shows a day all week for Kidfest's Opera for the Schools programme.

Two professional singers from Canada and British pianist Mark Dorrell joined Bermuda's Marcelle Clamens on stage to perform a programme specially designed to engage the attention of youngsters. Children from Elliott Primary, Mount St. Agnes Junior and Montessori International Academy cheered and applauded loudly to give their verdict on Monday morning's opening show.

The show was produced by Paula Maguire of Kidfest, who managed to drum up the necessary sponsorship from local companies to finance the 12 shows, the last three of which are today at 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m.

Tenor Mark DuBois, who pioneered the show designed to introduce young people to opera in Canada, said children made for a tough audience.

"Children are probably the hardest audience of all," said Mr. DuBois. "We know that every group we'll get this week will be different.

"We try to engage them, because if we don't do that, then we don't get the thing we need the most and that is ego. You can only get ego from your audience."

The show was punctuated with light-hearted moments and laughs, for instance when Mr. DuBois produced a giant-sized Pavarotti-style handkerchief while singing Sole Mio, the show's finale. Mr. DuBois said humour helped. "With children, you want them to be entertained and you want them to be happy. You can show them the funny side and it helps them appreciate the serious stuff. I started this show last year when I became artistic director in Toronto. It is not at the experimental stage. We also do a special show for seniors."

Mr. DuBois has released ten CDs and has toured Canada, the United States and much of Europe. Fellow Canadian singer Gisele Fredette, who has shared the stage with Mr. DuBois regularly over the past 20 years, also delighted the youngsters.

"All the children's shows we have done before were in Canada. Bermuda is the first international location we have done," Ms Fredette said. "We would like to take the show to other countries."

Ms Fredette, the daughter of an opera singer from Winnipeg, who has appeared in concerts all over Canada, the United States and Europe, said she would advise any youngsters interested in becoming an opera singer to primarily concentrate on their music lessons.

"When I learned to read and write music, it really helped me to get into singing," said Ms Fredette. "Then, get to sing with choirs. Church singing especially is excellent training."

Sponsors included Arthur Andersen, Bank of Butterfield, Bermuda Arts Council, Bermuda Press Ltd., Capital G, Centre Holdings, Conyers, Dill & Pearman, Fidelity Investment, Holmes, Williams & Purvey, Max Re, Miles Market, Mutual Risk Management, Overseas Partners Ltd., PricewaterhouseCoopers and Swiss Re.

See Newsmaker, Page 5.