Overheard at Opera Holland Park: student soundbites from backstage

We have now wrapped up our annual Summer Performances with our students performing a selection of new choreographies and classical works. These performances are a highlight of the school year, marking the debuts of some students and the final bows of others. 

We went backstage at Opera Holland Park to ask our students what they love most about Summer Performances and their experiences on stage. 

Year 7 

Lucinda: I love being backstage and seeing other year groups dance, and also being with all my friends because they support me. 

Yoshino: I love the moment you get on stage – the rush of applause makes that passion inside you roar up and makes you smile.  

Nylah: My favourite thing about Summer Performances is getting to perform on all the different stages, it’s so amazing. 

Maria: I love the experience of getting to shine on stage and dance with all my friends because they’re all so supportive. 

Our Year 7 students also shared their excitement of working with Ruth Brill on her new piece Garden Suite: 

It’s been so fun working with me with Miss Brill. She is such an amazing choreographer. The costumes are really cool and very unique – we actually look like ants! It’s very special when all the bugs unite on stage. It feels so amazing to be up there with the whole of Year 7, 8 and 9.

Year 9 

Emilia: I like the time before the show in the dressing room when we are all helping each other out and we’re all nervous and excited. It’s a really nice atmosphere.  

Belle: I just love being able to perform and it’s nice to celebrate the end of the year with everyone.  

Uliana: I love being a part of the whole-school rehearsals. It’s really fun to be all together and be a part of such a big performance. 

Year 10  

Rain: I love the opportunity to be able to perform in general and it’s a nice ending to the year. We all come together and remember what we love about what we do, which is dancing for other people and trying to make them the happiest that they can be and take them somewhere else in their beings. I love being on stage and seeing my family and friends in the audience, it always gives me the biggest smile and to know that I’m dancing for someone out there.  

Eva: The thing I love most about Summer Performances is the opportunity to perform because that’s what we are all working towards. Opera Holland Park is a lovely environment. When we finally get to the performance it’s very rewarding because we’ve rehearsed so much for it. My favourite part about ballet is performing, so it’s amazing to be able to do that and see the enjoyment from the audience also. 

Rosaria: I really like that we get to perform a variety of pieces from Napoli to Swan Lake and Tracks Uniting, which are all very different in their own way. I also love that we get to perform on multiple stages as many people don’t get this opportunity to dance, and I feel very privileged. 

Year 11 

Isaac: My favourite thing about Summer Performances is seeing everyone from all year levels across White Lodge and Upper School dancing on stage together because we don’t get to do that very often.  

Rose: I love the atmosphere backstage before we go on and getting ready with all my friends.  

Kanoko: I love being able to do stage makeup, being in costume and dancing on a big stage with spotlights. 

Sophia: My favourite thing about Summer Performances is the opportunity to perform different pieces and explore different characters. 

The Year 11 students also added their thoughts on performing in Morgann Runacre-Temple’s Swingle Stepping and working with Diana Cuni Mancini to stage Napoli: 

Swingle Stepping is so fun. You can feel everyone come together and the music has a great vibe. It’s more neo-classical and there’s no specific emotion to it so we can add our own interpretation to the choreography. It’s great to be able to work with professional choreographers like Morgann. Napoli was amazing because we learned how to do the Bournonville style which was very interesting. 

1st Year 

 Izzy: This is my first year at the School so it has been really exciting and something new for me to experience with all my friends, and to feel the energy of us all on stage together. I loved performing in Sweet Morning Blooms – it was a real collective experience for all of us, and we all had so much fun being able to express our inner flower as Miss Jessica would say.  

2nd Year 

Millán: It’s a great opportunity and great experience to be on stage and to share such a beautiful space with all my classmates and friends. I think the programme this year is beautiful and varied so I have loved it. It was super exciting to dance the role of the Prince in Aurora’s Wedding. It’s a very demanding but rewarding role, so we’ve been working very hard and it’s nice to be able to share all that hard work with the audience. 

Denis: Summer Performances have been amazing – they are the highlight of the year. I have loved performing in Les Patineurs as a Brown Couple. It’s a really challenging role, but also very rewarding. It was amazing to work with Vanessa Palmer because she is so detail-orientated. 

Pre-professional Year

Krista: It’s special to be able to perform in an open space like Opera Holland Park and to be able to enjoy the sunshine, which has been a bit too warm at times this week.  

Matteo: The week has been incredible. The best part about it is seeing everyone coming together at the end of the year and having fun. No matter what happens, it’s just the best feeling when everyone’s smiling and enjoying being on stage. Culmination has been my favourite piece to perform in, one hundred percent. The vibes are through the roof. Off stage you’re in your zone, and then when you’re on it’s just pure performance. 

Roo: This week has gone by so fast. I think because it’s my last year and I kind of have a routine about how we go through Linbury and Opera Holland Park. It’s been so fun, especially when you have friends in the younger years, you can see how they’re exploring the new environments that they’re in and exploring the roles that they’re in, and it’s just so fun to be in an environment where you can support your friends. 

Alberto: My favourite thing about Summer Performances is seeing it all come together from rehearsals and watching my colleagues enjoy themselves on stage – it is so inspiring for me. 

Tristan-Ian: I have loved performing in Culmination. It’s a piece where I feel like we can all feed off each other’s energy. It’s so much fun which is all we need for our final performance. 

We also asked our Pre-professional Year students how they feel about it being their last Summer Performance season and their time at the School coming to an end, before they embark on their professional careers.  

Krista: It is definitely sad to think about it that way, but it’s been amazing and I’m excited for what’s next. 

Matteo: It’s exciting to know that I’m going to be doing this (performing) a lot more in the future, but it’s also a bit emotional because we have been doing this for so many years now. It’s bittersweet and surreal to be honest.  

Roo: I feel really good because it’s been such a happy time in my life that I can always look back and know that it’s all been worth it. Receiving this level of training and having this performance experience while I’m still in school has been so important, and also so fun. I’m excited to be on stage more because that’s the best part and what we’ve been working towards for the past three years. 

Alberto: It feels bittersweet that this is our last Summer Performance season. It’s the end of an era. 

Tristan-Ian: It’s emotional for sure, but I’m just trying to take it all in and really enjoy it because this is the last time I’ll be here. Trying not to let the nerves get to me because we’re all in this together. I don’t know what to expect about the next year but I thrive in new environments and change is something that a lot of us need to grow and I’m ready for this change. It’s something I’ve been working towards and to be able to perform on the stage that I have dreamed of performing on is a dream come true. 

Browse the full gallery of backstage shots below.