With a cast of more than 100 in a fully-staged and costumed opera to produce – Whitgift School have risen to the challenge magnificently. Carmen has been almost a year in the planning and taken months of practice, stage set building, costume making and repeated refining. Patsy Payne caught up with Rosie Whitfield, the school's Director of Music Development

AS the soloists, choirs and orchestras rehearse for the March spectacular it's clear staging this event has been a marathon task taking precise organising from the very start.

Much of the credit I understand from Paul Wilson, the school's Director of Music and Drama, is down to the dedication and sheer hard work put in by Rosie Whitfield and Director of Orchestral Music, Philip Winter. However they are taking little of the glory and insist this is an absolute team effort from start to finish.

The classic opera has employed four professionals to sing the lead roles, although there are a number of secondary solo parts taken by pupils.

Paul Wilson, a former professional baritone is fully acquainted with Carmen having sung all of the male parts at one time.

He has also appeared in many productions at Covent Garden alongside the big names of Carreras and Domingo.

It's a talent and knowledge that is invaluable to the school's flourishing music and drama department. And it's no surprise to find out that Rosie was a professional oboist before joining the school some 15 years ago and Phil a former professional violinist.

Paul explained it was vital that professional singers sang the demanding lead roles which if attempted by a young boy could seriously ruin their voice forever.

The school has a very good history of past productions including Oliver, Joseph and His Amazing Colour Dreamcoat and the much applauded My Fair Lady.

In Carmen all of the boys are from Whitgift while the majority of girls are from Old Palace School and others.

The opera comprises four acts with four costume changes: "Which means effectively 400 costumes!" gasped Rosie.

She was quick to praise the wonderful work of Caroline Foster who is in charge of the costume department. She also praised parents who had been coming in on a regular basis to cut, sew and fit the colourful outfits.

"It is simply magnificent what they are doing. Of course certain costumes we've had to hire but most have been made by parents and I can't praise them enough," she added.

It is the educational aspect of the production that excites Rosie most of all which has emanated from the school's Primary Project. This sees primary school pupils every week of the year, spend time doing taster lessons at Whitgift.

Said Rosie: "It's great – we take two schools a week and they can get a taste of all lessons. Science, music, art, sport etc. They are taught in a special class and it gives them an idea of the learning here."

Each November the school holds a concert to introduce some 2,000 primary school pupils to music in a concert hall setting.

The annual event at Fairfield Halls is now fully funded by the school who also provide all the music.

Primary children from around the borough along with Whitgift pupils will have the opportunity to see Carmen at a special matinee performance at the school on March 19.

Said Rosie: "The children attend the concert of highlights from Carmen and there will also be the opportunity to have a question and answer session with the professionals."

The opera will feature the school's 50-strong parents choir comprising old Whitgiftians, staff and parents of boys who are still at the school or were at the school.

There will also be 30 pupils from the senior choir, 25 from Year 6 who play the little urchins and 20 pupils forming the girls choir.

In additionl a number of boy and girl soloists will benefit by singing alongside the professionals tackling the major roles.

The school has a number of orchestra's and ensembles, the main being the Symphony Orchestra in which some 50 pupils participate.

There are a number of ensembles at the school, the cherry on the cake being the Whitgift Chamber Orchestra

"This is a phenomenal orchestra with girls included among the musicians who are from outside the school. These are the best musicians and there are rigorous auditions before acceptance, and we have this orchestra thanks to the headmaster," enthused Rosie.

She then mentions outstanding violinist Grig Cuciuc who is attending Whitgift for his Sixth form education under the Whitgift International Scholarship programme.

He was born and educated in Moldova, studying the violin under the distinguished Moldovan musician, Tamara Caftanat.

Said Rosie: "He will just be playing in the orchestra for Carmen, but promises to be a future international star."

Costumes have been seven months in the making, while Whitgift stalwart Ray Delger has devoted his time to making stage scenery having made a model set to work from. The main hall will be transformed with tiered seating and galleried balconies.

Ray's workshop is a hive of industry with , paintings and sketches and wood shavings everywhere conjuring up the drama of a theatrical back-stage design studio.

In the main hall as carpenters hammer the stage in place, musicians gather in rehearsal where they can to sing, play and refine their singing.

No wonder the pupils are so excited about this production which involves most of the school and which Rosie admits is the most ambitious show yet.

Tickets are now on sale to parents and the local community. Ticket request form can be downloaded from the Whitgift website or from the Box Office: 020 8688 9222

Performances are on Sunday, March 21 at 3pm, Tuesday, 23, Thursday, 25 and Saturday, 27 March, 7.30pm. Friday, 26 March, Gala Evening (Black tie), 7.30pm.

The Professionals are all young singers developing exciting professional careers boasting impressive cv's.

Don José is played by Charne Rochford, Escamillo by David Durham, Carmen by Margaret Rapacioli and Micaela is played by Amanda Forbes.

ALICE PARR plays Frasquita and is a student of Old Palace School of John Whitgift. Alice has won many medals and awards at music festivals and has sung with the chorus of Surrey Opera in productions of La Boheme, the Cunning Little Vixen, Macbeth, etc.

She has enjoyed success as an oboist particularly in the Croydon Music festival, winning the London Mozart Players prize for Woodwind and twice winning the David Osland award for an oboist showing the most potential.

She would like to study History at a university with a thriving music scene, followed by a post graduate course in opera or musical theatre.

STUART NUNN who plays El Dancairo, a smuggler, is passionate about any form of music and drama, this interest developing rapidly once he joined Whitgift School.

His first major part was playing the Artful Dodger in Oliver. He is a great fan of Shakespeare and enjoyed playing the part of Macbeth as part of a Shakespeare evening.

He is self-taught on the piano, currently studying for Grade 8 in singing and Grade 8 on the guitar.

TOM DAWKINS who plays El Remendado is a highly promising young actor who is a member of both the National Youth Theatre and the National Youth Music Theatre. He has appeared in the chorus and understudied a main role in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang in the West End.

Tom joined Whitgift in 2004. He is, for his age, an experienced musical theatre actor and had a chorus part in the west end musical

Tom is also a keen bassoonist, currently working towards grade five. He plays in the Whitgift Chamber Orchestra at school.

CHLOE ROBERTSHAWE who plays Mercedes has been immersed in music from a very young age.

Though she enjoys choral singing, her main passion is musical theatre. She appeared in her first musical aged 6 as the youngest princess in "The King And I" alongside her fellow Carmen cast member, William Gillett and she has been in a number of musicals since then, including Anything Goes, The Boyfriend, and Oklahoma.

Chloe is studying Music, English and Drama for A level at the moment, and hopes to go on to study Music at Leeds University to pursue a career teaching Music at secondary school level.

HUGO HERMAN-WILSON who plays Morales appeared in both Carmen and La Boheme at the English National Opera while still at primary school Both his parents are opera singers and Hugo is a bass in the Whitgift Chamber Choir.

He hopes to win a choral scholarship to Cambridge later this year.

WILLIAM GILLETT who plays Zuniga has an outstanding musical background, and has recently won a Choral Scholarship to Queen's College, Oxford. He has been a member of the National Children's Orchestra and the London Schools Symphony Orchestra.

He is a member of the National Youth Choir and has sung at Birmingham Symphony Hall with the National Children's Orchestra.

He studies singing at the Junior Department of the Royal College of Music and is a member of the Chamber Choir there, leading the bass section.

At Whitgift he has already played Mr Bumble in Oliver and Alfie Doolittle in My Fair Lady.