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As winter school holidays settle over the Mother City, Cape Town Opera (CTO) is sprinkling theatrical magic across neighbourhood libraries with Opera Blocks: Forest Friends, a whimsical, interactive production designed to ignite imaginations in children.

This innovative series, running from 1 to 5 July, transforms ordinary library spaces into enchanted woodland realms where opera singers become furry forest creatures, bookshelves hide sly foxes, and classical melodies float between the stacks like musical fireflies.

A collaboration between CTO, the Judith Neilson Foundation, and the City of Cape Town, these 40-minute performances offer more than entertainment; they’re a gateway to developmental benefits.

Studies consistently show that early exposure to live music, especially complex classical arrangements, enhances language acquisition and emotional intelligence in young children.

Now, thanks to this initiative, families can watch professional opera singers (fresh from CTO’s sold-out Aida) morph into singing animals, all without spending a cent.

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Schedule & Locations

  • 1 July, 1pm: Athlone Library

  • 2 July, 10am – 2pm: Edgemead Library (Drop-in sessions)

  • 3 July, 12pm – 2pm: Cape Town Central Library (Drop-in)

  • 4 July, 2pm: Hout Bay Library

  • 5 July, TBC: Langa Library

As the final notes fade in at Langa Library on July 5, the real impact of Forest Friends will just be beginning. For some children, this might be their first encounter with live performance, the first time they feel a bassoon’s vibration in their chest or giggle at a soprano-singing squirrel.

These moments matter, not just for future musicians, but for any child learning to listen deeply, imagine wildly, and appreciate the arts as something that belongs to them, too.

Parents chasing holiday distractions now have a secret weapon: an activity that delights and develops. And for librarians? A joyful reminder that their spaces can be stages, their quiet corners home to temporary fairy tales.

Don’t let your kids miss this rare chance to see world-class performers up close.

Find out more details about the event and other events happening in Cape Town here.

Also read:

Zip Zap’s full troupe stars in new July show Chasing Dreams

Picture: Opera Blocks Forest Friends

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