The Royal Opera House Challenge is back for 2025!
Every year, our Creative Industries learners take part in a national design competition held and judged by the Royal Opera House.
Learners receive a professional brief from the Royal Opera House, asking them to produce either a set, costume or advertising design for a featured opera or ballet. This year’s brief is for The Winter’s Tale, a ballet based on the Shakespeare play.
The Royal Opera House also sets out three ‘Director’s Visions’ for students to choose from, helping them to focus their ideas on the wishes of the director – something they’ll do throughout their future careers.
This year, the three Director’s Visions are ‘A Moment in Time’, ‘Juxtaposition’, and ‘Embodied Stories’.
Our students have been busy thoroughly researching the ballet, delving into the story, themes, characters and music to develop their entries.
As part of their research, our Creative Industries students went on a trip to see La Boheme, an opera held at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden. This research trip helped our learners get familiar with the venue and stage that will host their designs and gave them real insight into the work of professional set, costume and advertising designers.
The Royal Opera House challenge gives our learners the opportunity to respond to a real-life brief, provided by an esteemed arts organisation. Whilst students must deliver on all requirements laid out in the brief, our Creative Industries learners are always encouraged to develop their own personal creative style and incorporate this into all of their designs.
Our learners will apply the skills, knowledge and experience gained throughout the challenge to their work as creative practitioners in future.
Nicola, Art and Design Tutor commented:
“The Royal Opera House challenge is a fantastic opportunity for our learners to gain experience responding to a real-life design brief. It allows them to develop essential industry-skills while refining their own creative style.
“We are incredibly grateful for our ongoing relationship with the Royal Opera House. Their support provides our students with invaluable insight into professional design and pushes them to create truly innovative pieces. The whole department is looking forward to seeing what they create this year!”
Last year, Art and Design learner, Elise, took home the Director’s Choice award for her fantastic costume concepts for The Barber of Seville. Elise was selected overall winner out of hundreds of applicants across the country!
Fingers crossed for more success this year, stay tuned to find out how our learners get on!
Fancy your chances at winning the Royal Opera House challenge? Explore Creative Industries at North Hertfordshire College.