Bucklands Beach Intermediate is home to two budding opera stars.

Emily Briggs and Luca Heard star in the Opera Factory's production of the mini opera Chip & His Dog and the pair are keen to get onstage and show off their skills.

''We both got involved with the show last year when we auditioned for the New Zealand Opera,'' Luca says.

''We both got in and some of the older people there were saying we should join the Opera Factory and that's where they got their start so we did. We want to do opera in the future and we're loving it.''

Chip & His Dog was written by Italian-American composer and librettist Gian Carlo Menotti and tells the story of a poor instrument maker who is asked by the king's messengers to send his trick-performing dog to make the young princess smile again.

Emily plays the lead character Chip and Luca takes the role of the king's messenger.
The two 12-year-olds might be young but they have a passion for that art of opera.

''You have to act more with opera,'' Emily says.

''You tell a whole story through singing so people can't just rely on words. It's more of an acquired taste though. I only really got into opera last year and when I first listened to opera I was like 'this sounds really weird' but once you begin singing it, you love it.''

``Sometimes people think opera's a bit weird but most of my friends are very supportive of me and they want me to do well,'' Luca says.

''Opera is about expressing your emotions through singing and it's something I'd really like to do in the future.''

The Opera Factory's production of Chip & His Dog will be onstage at the Factory Theatre, 7 Eden Street, Newmarket on June 21 and 22 at 6.30pm, and on June 23 at 11am and 2pm.

Tickets are $20 for adults, $10 for students and children. Under 5s are free.

Visit iticket.co.nz or call 361 1000 to make a booking.

- © Fairfax NZ News