EN IT FI PL

Our work with schools

The Butterfly Project, Boosting environmental awareness in opera creation, aims to involve students and high schools in writing an Opera on an ecological theme and in its production in terms of sustainability.

The Opera, whose working title is “Elements for the Future”, will consist of three acts of approximately 30 minutes each; the subject of the work, inspired and built around an element (water for Gdansk, air for Helsinki and earth for Modena) will be the result of the creative work of the students who, starting from the environmental aspects, will be able to draw on a multidisciplinary investigation to be co-planned with the teachers. The project will therefore combine production techniques, digital art, digital media and an in-depth study of environmental issues. The development of the libretto and the music will be entrusted to musicians and librettists from the three partner opera houses of the project. The project engages three secondary school classes (approximately 16-17 years old students) in creating an environmental-issue Opera.

Schools

High School Francesco Selmi– Modena

GDAŃSK HIGH SCHOOL no. 6

High School no.6 – Gdańsk

Otaniemi High School – Espoo

Co-creation journey

The co-creation journey will take place as follows:

At least two preparatory and co-design meetings with the teachers of the selected class (teachers of different subjects such as science, art, technical education, literature, English, etc.)
Four to Six meetings of 2-3 hours each with the students of the class
Four creative workshops of 2-3 hours each with librettists
Selection of 3 stories out of the nine proposals (1 for each city, the others will be part of a digital book that will be published on the project website and social media)
Creation of a video of the work carried out also an expression of the sustainability vision of each engaged class in its context (with the support of the multimedia agency partner)
Three final online meetings of 2 hours each to exchange and share the work done (in English) between the three classes of Modena, Helsinki and Gdansk
Feedback from students to proposals from composers and musicians concerning the brand-new Opera

The meetings with the students foresee the creation of working groups and the active participation of the students themselves. AESS and the other two engaged environmental organisations in Gdansk and Helsinki will handle the working methodology. They will accompany teachers and students in the different stages of the process, exploring the possibility of using textual and other types of references (e.g. documents, archives, websites, audiovisuals, music), digital and non-digital as well as of carrying out visits to artistic and historical places in the area (museums, exhibitions, art gallery, theatre, etc.) as sources of inspiration for students’ drafting of the story. Last but not least, whenever possible, participation in meetings with students or representatives of climate youth associations (e.g. Fridays For Future) will be encouraged and promoted.

ZERO CARBON GUIDELINES

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Download

Audience development guide

European guidelines for sustainable theatres

Documentary videos about students’ vision of sustainability

During the first student meeting, all partners involved in Project Butterfly had the opportunity to view videos showcasing the work of students from Italy, Poland, and Finland. The creation of these videos was supported by the multimedia agency partner Heimspiel, ensuring a professional and impactful presentation.

The following videos represent each class’ unique vision of sustainability within their specific contexts. Through this collaborative effort, the students effectively conveyed their insights and ideas on sustainability, highlighting the diverse approaches and creative solutions from different cultural perspectives.

Now it’s your turn to watch the results of our students’ co-creation videos below!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KIc_zL7Gzkhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zY9BCgbwS0https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agA8_7sEVis

Video from Helsinki’ students:

In this video, students from the Otaniemen Lukio High School (Helsinki) share their reflections after attending enlightening lectures and activities on sustainability, as a part of the Project Butterfly. Equipped with new knowledge and valuable inputs, they discuss how young people and older generations can work together, united by the power of art, to create a better future for the next generations to come.

This video edited by Heimspiel, captures the transformative learning experience and showcases the students’ evolving understanding and commitment to a sustainable future. Let’s immerse ourselves in the students’ creative journey!

Video from Modena’ students:

In this insightful video, students from the Selmi High School (Modena) share their opinions on sustainability as part of Project Butterfly. Focusing on the theme of earth (as their libretto story), the students discuss practices like recycling and emphasise the importance of protecting our planet’s health and ensuring a safe future for coming generations. This engaging interview format highlights the passion and commitment of the younger generation towards creating a sustainable world.

The video, edited by Heimspiel, showcases engaging workshops and collaborative activities with project partners, highlighting the active participation and innovative ideas of young people dedicated to making a difference. Let’s watch the students’ creative process!

Video from Gdansk’ students:

This video shows the journey of students from High School No. 6 (Gdansk) who have been part of the project from the beginning, thanks to their dedicated teachers. In the video edited by Heimspiel, we hear students’ vision on sustainable practices like recycling and segregating garbage.

Thanks to several workshops (such as the Mozart opera workshop) and projects at school, our young people learned how small things, both from adults and young people, can make a difference equally. Also, arts and opera can be examples of sustainability, while governments introduce laws to protect the planet. Let’s observe the students’ creation!

Student’s Stories Reveal

As we know the winning teams, it’s time to share with you the three student’s stories! It’s impressive how complex and wise their works are – you can find there many universal topics such as: dealing with guilt, shame, illness and of course the climate crisis and human’s input in it. Three stories were selected, but in total nine proposals were submitted. If you are curious, read all the stories in the digital book collection Students’ Co-creation Journey.