Support the 4th Essex Summer Opera Festival
The Essex Summer Opera Festival brings 5 incredible performances to the stunning Layer Marney Tower, forming the centre of both our summer season and our education programme.
Now in it's 4th year, from 17-22 June 2025 the festival will be bringing Dominic Dromgoole's new production of Eugene Onegin and a revival of Guido Martin Brandis's The Elixir of Love to the Opera Barn.
Lead our group of supporters in bringing the festival to life.
Support an orchestral player
The Wild Arts Ensemble is no ordinary orchestra. It is composed of some of the leading chamber musicians in the UK. We are delighted that our leader Sijie Chen is supported by Patrick and Louise Grattan. Please join them in supporting other chairs in the orchestra.
Support the 25th Anniversary Roman River Festival
Every year we bring some of the world's finest musicians to Colchester and the beautiful villages of coastal Essex. Help us to celebrate 25 years of the Roman River Festival by supporting an individual artist or performance.
Roman River / Wild Arts Friend
Roman River Friend: £35 per year
Wild Arts Friend: £75 (or £120 for a joint membership)
Receive priority booking either for all our shows (Wild Arts Friendship), or for the Roman River Festival in Essex (Roman River Friendship), as well as an invite to after-show parties, and to our annual Friends reception.
Dragonfly Friend
£250+ per annum
Our Dragonfly Friends receive all the benefits enjoyed by Friends, as well as a note of thanks in our various programmes across the year.
Wildflower, Meadow, and Woodland Patrons
Wildflower: £500+ | Meadow: £1,000+ | Woodland: £2,500+ per annum
Our Patrons enjoy all the benefits of Friends (early booking, annual receptions, and after-show parties). They also receive invitations to the summer opera auditions and rehearsals in London, the initial concept presentation by the director, our Young Artist Masterclasses (led by one of our patrons, Roderick Williams or Jeremy Sams), and a credit in all our programmes.
Ocean Patron
£5,000+ per annum
Our Ocean Patrons are our core supporters, enabling brilliant new productions of opera that speak to everyone, giving opportunities to talented young performers, bringing top quality opera to places other companies cannot reach, and allowing us to build towards our long-term environmental dreams.
Ocean Patrons enjoy all the benefits listed above, plus a champagne dinner with the core Wild Arts team hosted at one of our amazing venues.
Sponsor a young singer
Support our apprenticeship scheme
Support our apprenticeship scheme
By supporting a ‘cover’ singer, you are enabling them to learn the role, attend rehearsals, learn from and be mentored by the established artists who they are shadowing, perform in a young artist showcase to which we will invite industry professionals, and be ready to save the day and go on to perform the role in the actual performance.
They will also be coached by our patron Roderick Williams OBE, one of the world’s most eminent baritones.
Support our apprenticeship scheme
Support our apprenticeship scheme
Support our apprenticeship scheme
An opera production relies on a range of key skills and knowledge. Carpenters, costume experts, stage managers, writers, linguists and of course musicians including the repetiteur, who plays the whole orchestral score on the piano for rehearsals and also coaches the singers.
Wild Arts gives opportunities for young people to shadow and learn from top professionals. Please get in touch with your personal area of interest.
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