A first bite at opera; music/theatre.

Byline: By DAVID POWELL

COMPOSER Julian Philips knows how to spice up a music lesson. He's penned a musical to be performed by Welsh National Opera conductor James Lowe with the company's orchestra plus soloists - and pupils in their own schools.

The children, aged nine to 11, will be sent a preparation pack, so they will be ready and waiting for the professionals - Julian and singers Owen Webb and Ros Evans, plus musicians and a storyteller.

It should make for a lively workshop.

Julian's weaved his music, set to lyrics by Berlie Doherty, around three classical pieces conjuring up witches, magic and death: Danse Macabre by Camille Saint Saens, Kikimora and The Enchanted Lake by Anatol Liadov and Sorcerer's Apprentice by Paul Dukas.

And the whole project's called The Magician's Cat, which will performed at Llandudno's Venue Cymru next month. It's an educational spin-off from WNO's twice-yearly visit to North Wales, which sees Verdi Medal Winner Dennis O'Neill in Otello, plus Nuccia Focile singing the title role in Jenufa and American baritone John Moore in Rossini's The Barber of Seville.

Cardiff-born Julian says: "Even in my younger days at school, the way classical music was introduced was pretty stiff and wooden. So rather than force-feeding young people chunks of classical music, and expecting them to like it, we have found a different way. We link orchestral music together through a variety of stories by Berlie Doherty.

My role was to creatively re-write the music so young people sing along to it.

"Berlie wrote the lyrics but I helped her by saying 'This tune would work really well here.' "

Julian believes the fact children can play it in the school hall or leisure centre, for instance, means they'll love it.

"It's really nice for the kids. It's a kind of concert opera. It has a very theatrical quality."

Julian is used entertaining children with music because he has several nieces and nephews, and the techniques work well on them.

Julian, who went to school in Cardiff and Swansea before attending Cambridge University, said: "Young people love a good tune.

"They don't have preconceptions. If it grabs them, it grabs them."

Taking part in the project will be Year Five and Six schoolchildren at Ysgol y Plas, Ysgol Ffordd Dyffryn and Ysgol Morfa Rhianedd in Llandudno; Ysgol Craig y Don and Ysgol Betws y Coed. They will be visited from November 17 by the Welsh National Opera orchestra, soloists Owen Webb and Ros Evans and a storyteller, accompanied with a film.

The commissioned film, which incorporates children's artwork, will be edited by Cardiff-based photography development agency, Ffotogallery. It follows workshops led by Welsh artists Sophie Cobb and Stefan Caddick.

They will learn musical motifs, the concert format and instruments of the orchestra and explore narrative themes of magic and the macabre.

Then they will go and see the work in full, as an introduction to the world of opera and classical music.

The Magician's Cat, Arena, Venue Cymru, Llandudno, Nov 25. The WNO also perform Otello Nov 27 & 28; Jenufa Nov 26; The Barber of Seville, Nov 26 & 29. Tickets 01492 872000 or www.venuecymru.co.uk, more details swww.wno.org.uk

CAPTION(S):

Welsh National Opera aim to repeat their success involving children in performance workshops (above, rehearsals for 2007's The Merman King) with The Magician's Cat by Julian Philips (left) Main picture: BRIAN TARR