ETO is proud to tour opera to audiences with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) across the country each year. At the heart of these productions is the desire to make opera accessible to everybody.

Through catchy tunes, beautiful sets, and loads of fun audience interaction, our SEND operas provide supportive spaces for audiences to express themselves and engage with music in a meaningful way.

Makaton

Makaton is a communication tool that uses signs, symbols and speech to help people communicate.

In our Autumn 2024 production of The Wellies, Makaton was incorporated into the set and performance to support audiences with various communication abilities. Onstage, large boards displayed Makaton symbols describing each scene, while performers signed Makaton symbols with their hands throughout the show.

Makaton is commonly used in SEND schools; students will have seen and used these symbols before experiencing them at an ETO show. By incorporating this familiar communication tool, we're able to better support audiences as they engage with opera.

Teacher's Packs

Before ETO visits a school, teachers receive a pack of accessibility resources to support their students as they engage with a performance coming to their school. Inside the pack, there are three social stories®, which are short stories that use symbols and/or pictures to help a child envision a situation and prepare themselves for it.

ETO's teacher's pack include social stories® describing what an opera is, what will happen to student's daily schedule when the opera comes to their school, and a scene-by-scene description of the opera's plot.

These accessibility resources help to alleviate anxiety around disruptions to the student's daily routine. Additionally, for students that need longer to process information, having already been exposed to the opera may help them better enjoy the performance when it happens.

Hear from an SEND school teacher about the positive impact these resources had on one student:

"For one individual in my class, this was the first time he had been able to be involved in a performance. He gets very anxious and usually refuses to attend. However, this time he watched the whole show from the door. Being able to prepare him for what to expect using the access pack helped him to understand what the show was about, and lessened his anxiety."

Support our next opera for SEND audiences!

We are currently raising £14,000 in essential funds to develop our next opera for SEND audiences and continue providing these meaningful materials to students across the country. Until 10 December, every donation makes double the difference through matched funding! Help us to change a child’s life through opera, this Christmas.

Click here to donate now