CALNE was alive with the sound of music as the town took part in the fifth annual Spring Sing, and school pupils performed an opera with professional opera singers.

Enthusiastic performers from the John Bentley School, Holy Trinity C of E Academy, Marden Vale C of E Academy, Forest & Sandridge C of E Primary School and Priestley Primary School took to the stage on Wednesday (April 25) and Friday (April 27) to perform a full-length opera called The Team Mascot.

Organised by Jackdaws Music Education Trust, the schoolchildren took part in the award-winning education project called OperaPlus, where they took part in opera workshops and put on performances for family and friends.

Artistic director Saffron van Zwanenberg, said: “They got into it, which is great. It is a full-length opera with a professional cast and the schools get to participate actively in it.

“They performed an adaptation of an opera called Daughter of the Regiment. It is a love story, set against the backdrop of two football teams.”

Assistant headteacher at John Bentley, Peter Grant, said: “It was absolutely brilliant to see the children from all four primary schools and John Bentley hear professional opera singers and take part in a professional production – they all stepped up to the mark.”

On Saturday (April 28), community spirit bloomed as crowds gathered to take part in Calne’s Spring Sing.

Fifteen choirs from around the county performed at different venues, filling the town with beautiful tunes throughout the day.

It culminated with performers and the public gathering to put on a huge performance of Elton John’s Crocodile Rock, and Judy Garland’s Somewhere Over the Rainbow.

Business support officer at Calne Town Council, Mark Edwards, said: “It was really successful, and had really good community spirit.”