Cheshire opera star sings to hearing impaired children to boost learning

To encourage creative and intuitive thinking, opera singer Charlotte Hoather from Cheshire has been sponsored to share her love for opera with children across the hearing spectrum. 

The award-winning soprano-turned-freelancer has dreamt of making her music accessible to children from all walks of life, including those that are deaf or experience hard of hearing. 

Singing to over 1,000 school children, she will be showcasing her rendition of Lewis Carroll’s ‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’. After creating the opera, writing the libretto and working closely with Nino Russell, her husband and a music composer, she has reimagined this show as ‘Down The Rabbit Hole’. 

Charlotte, born in Winsford, Cheshire, established her passion for performing arts when she was three years old. What initially began as a hobby in dance, she grew her skillset when she began singing and acting at age six in Northwich.  

She then went on to graduate with a first-class music degree from The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and The Royal College of Music Master of Music. 

Charlotte’s drive to encourage and inspire the deaf and hard of hearing stems from her own personal experience of being diagnosed at birth as profoundly deaf in one ear.  

She has documented her extensive career and loss of hearing through a personal blog that has inspirited readers across the country. 

Closely working with other like-minded talents, she has produced a heart-warming and captivating album which she is showcasing to local schools with the desire to encourage, inspire and educate children through the beauty and universal power of music. 

Claire Mera-Nelson, director of Music and London at the Arts Council of England, said: “Every child deserves the opportunity to enjoy high-quality musical experiences, and we know this can boost their confidence, support their learning, and encourage self-expression. 

“Thanks to the money raised by National Lottery players, we’re excited to be supporting the award-winning soprano Charlotte Hoather and her immersive opera project for children.  

“Charlotte will bring a narrative inspired by Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland to life through music, physical theatre, British Sign Language and more – all to make sure that more children, including those who are deaf or across the hearing spectrum, can experience the joys of opera and let their creativity roam without limits.” 

The tour opened on the 9 March in Winsford, with the finale being on the 29th of March in London.  

The schools that Charlotte will be attending are Over Hall Community School, Over St Johns, St Josephs, Winsford High Street, St Chads CofE, Wharton CofE, Darnhall, Hebden Green, Grange Primary School and Willow Wood in Winsford. 

She will also be attending a number of London schools afterwards.