Create & Sing: The MAGic Flute
Created & Directed by Maya Sapone
Produced by Waltham Forest Music Service; Lighting Design by Petr Vocka; Prop Design by Sarah & Andrew Fairhurst; In partnership with the Royal Ballet & Opera ‘Create & Sing’
On 4th July 2024, over 700 primary school children from all over Waltham Forest joined forces to perform in one of Mozart's most celebrated operas - The Magic Flute. Created and directed by soprano Maya Sapone, and produced by Waltham Forest Music Service, this unique children’s adaptation of the opera was made possible by Music Education Hub funding from Arts Council England and the wonderful resources from the Royal Ballet & Opera’s CREATE & SING programme.
Lighting equipment generously provided by AR-Events and Southwark Playhouse; Extra equipment provided by AB Lighting and generously supported by Big Penny Social; Backdrop kindly provided by Battersea Arts Centre; Sound equipment by Wilding Sounds; Photography by Monika S. Jakubowska; Videography by Sergej Novosad; Video Editing by Maya Sapone.
The Little Choir of Joy is run by Waltham Forest Music Service, which, as part of the East London Music Alliance, is the Lead Organisation for London East Music Hub. Children aged 5-12 years from schools across the borough meet weekly to rehearse and have fun making music together.
Led by opera singer and choir director Maya Sapone, the choir enjoys performing an eclectic range of repertoire from folk, pop & rock to opera. In 2019 the choir performed on BBC Radio 2 as part of the London Borough of Culture. In July 2024 they performed an adaptation of The Magic Flute opera by Mozart, a project produced by Waltham Forest Music Service in partnership with the Royal Ballet & Opera ‘Create & Sing’ programme. This one-of-a-kind event featured more than 700 primary school children from around Waltham Forest. The choir performs regularly in venues across Waltham Forest including the William Morris Gallery, Norris Hall, the Town Hall and Fellowship Square. In December 2024 the choir performed for Their Majesties The King and The Queen during their visit to Waltham Forest.
This year the choir celebrates its 10th anniversary and is currently working on a new children’s production of the opera Carmen by Bizet directed by Maya Sapone. The project is in partnership with the Royal Ballet & Opera and will be staged in July 2025 as part of the Waltham Forest Summer Music Festival.
