A COLLABORATION between South Essex College and the Royal Opera House will all people to earn a degree in costume construction.

The partnership, which also includes the University of the Arts London, will focus on the cut and making of costumes for theatre, opera, film and TV with professionals from the Royal Opera House working with the students on live briefs for new productions for both The Royal Opera and The Royal Ballet.

The course is specifically to address the current shortage of people with high quality costume making skills.

Students will be taught how to make costumes that are lightweight and flexible for Royal Ballet dancers to perform in, as well as costumes that are made to last many years as some productions remain in the ROH repertory for up to four decades. They will also learn how to make a range of different styles of costumes from leotards for contemporary ballets, to historically accurate costumes for opera productions set in specific periods of history.

The first intake of students will be in September, based at the new Bob and Tamar Manoukian Costume Centre currently being built at High House Production Park.

Alex Beard, Chief Executive of the Royal Opera House, said: “This course is a fantastic example of industry and higher education coming together to invest in young people, training them alongside the very best professionals in their field, and giving them skills that employers so desperately need.

“The skills the students will learn on this course will give them the foundation to work not only in opera and ballet, but also in theatre, film or fashion, expanding the job opportunities even wider for the graduates.”

Angela O’Donoghue, South Essex College Principal and Chief Executive, said: “We are proud to be delivering this unique degree in Thurrock. It is wonderful that local people will benefit from such an outstanding opportunity. The partnership with the Royal Opera House is a superb example of how colleges and universities can respond to a shortage of skilled workers in a particular industry.”

As well as the degree course being taught from the new Bob and Tamar Manoukian Costume Centre, the building will also house more than 20,000 Royal Opera House costumes and wigs from productions in the ROH repertory. The historic costumes from the ROH Collection will also now be stored in the building and be used as a basis for part of the degree course focusing on costume preservation and conservation.