Students from Melbourn Village College and three of its feeder primary schools are gearing up to bring to a Benjamin Britten opera to Cambridgeshire after its successful premiere at two prestigious venues in France.

Royston Crow: Melbourn Village College Noye's FluddeMelbourn Village College Noye's Fludde (Image: Archant)

A total of 32 Melbourn students, aged from 11 to 15, as well as 17 youngsters aged 10 and 11 from Foxton, Hauxton and Harston and Newton Primary Schools teamed up with professional actors and musicians, including internationally renowned conductor Arie van Beek, to perform Noye’s Fludde in the Cirque Jules Verne in Amiens and the Theatre Impériale in Compiegne to packed audiences.

The opera, based on the biblical story of Noah, the ark and the flood, saw six soloists from Melbourn – Tom Carrington, Cameron King, Jenny Elliott, Izzy Koyander, Sophie Jelley and Joe Randall – taking roles as Noah’s sons and wives. The rest of the students were in the chorus and Mr and Mrs Noah were played by professionals.

There was also a special opportunity for talented Year 10 cornet player Ben Doughty to join the Orchestre de Picardie for the two performances to audiences of 1,500 and 800 respectively.

To open it this opportunity to the widest audience possible, the opera will next be staged at Comberton Sports and Arts, part of Comberton Village College, on March 5 and 6.

Royston Crow: Melbourn Village College Noye's FluddeMelbourn Village College Noye's Fludde (Image: Archant)

Tickets are available from 01223 264444 or on the wegottickets website – quote event number 307196 for the Thursday show and 307198 for Friday. Students from Comberton and Cambourne Village Colleges, Melbourn’s partners in the Comberton Academy Trust, have also been invited to take part.

The performances of Britten’s opera, which was written largely for amateurs especially children, came about as part of the ACT project, an innovative cross-border cultural heritage and educational exchange programme between 12 arts and education partners from France and England and backed by the European Regional Development Fund.

One of the primary teachers, Anna Elliott from Foxton added: “I have thoroughly enjoyed being able to get to know and work alongside colleagues from other schools.

“I was also very impressed at the behaviour of all the children on the trip and of how well the older children looked out for and supported the younger ones.”