Encore for Opera Trip with Coventry School

Mary Creagh MP with the teachers and pupils of Stoke Park School

Mary Creagh MP joined pupils from Stoke Park School in Coventry at the Royal Opera House this week. They enjoyed the Schools’ Matinee performance of Verdi’s La Traviata, and the afternoon felt perfectly orchestrated.

Organised by the Royal Ballet and Opera (RBO), the Schools’ Matinee programme aims to bring the arts to those who may otherwise find it difficult to attend. 122 students from Coventry East have already benefited from this programme.

The evening was subsidised by the RBO, enabling all students to engage with culturally enriching activities. The RBO specifically targets disenfranchised areas, and 70% of attendees for this performance were from schools with higher than the national average of Free School Meals.

Mary Creagh MP commented:

“It was wonderful to see these students watch their first opera. The work that the RBO does helps to prove that the arts are for everyone, and not just a privileged few.”