Our mission
Our mission is to bring a first class, fun and inspiring educational experience of music and singing to the communities of the South East.
Barefoot Opera challenges the notion that opera is elitist by producing high-quality, inclusive and accessible work. We rework the classics and commission contemporary productions, reaching new audiences.
Our aims
Our work is guided by our aims, which are to:
- Rethink, deconstruct, and strip opera down to the basics of body, breath, movement, and sound.
- Train emerging young professionals and give them performance opportunities with BFO’s annual tours to venues in London and the South East.
- Make opera new by developing an energised, physical ensemble approach, which generates a unique way of experiencing opera.
- Reach out widely into our local and wider regional communities to bring people from different neighbourhoods, cultural groups and across generations, to sing together.
Our vision
Is to bring about ‘A Town That Sings’, utilising the power of music to inspire, empower and connect. Bloom Britannia, our 2021 people’s opera, involved professional and community singers and a collaboration with artists across musical genres.
Our opera RED! by Barefoot artist Lucy Mulgan opens opera to primary school children.
Our previous and current Young Artists Tour includes communities and schools within the productions, making sure to include a strong environmental message.
We believe in the life-affirming, mood boosting power of singing and performing. We want to enable participants of all backgrounds, and organisations, to learn about, train their skills, and have the opportunity to take part in new, professional, inclusive, people’s operas, alongside professionals.
Community is a hugely important part of what we do!
Take part and help to bring people together, building friendships and developing a sense of community by singing together and working towards a common goal.
