They are learning the whole business of putting on an opera - on stage and behind the scenes.

So they are writing the libretto, composing the music and designing the sets and costumes before transforming themselves into an "opera company" to produce and promote the work.

"They're sparky children," says the opera house

It is the latest and most ambitious undertaking in the Royal Opera House's Write an Opera programme, which began 14 years ago.

This year's effort is unusual because the works have never been put on at the Royal Opera House itself.

But this December, the children from St Clement Dane's CofE primary in Drury Lane, central London, will be among the first artists to perform in the new Studio Theatre there.

It started back in May, when a team from the opera house's education department began working with 120 children aged seven to 11.

Three teachers - music co-ordinator Rachel Hatter and the Year 5 and Year 6 teachers, Victoria Barry and Deborah Shone - went on a week-long course to give them the necessary skills to run the project.

Educational - but also fun

"It's a brilliant opportunity for the children because they would never do anything like this normally," said Ms Barry.

The educational spin-offs are numerous. The children are taking on so many roles that it is hard to think of a curriculum area that is not being developed.

Fortunately they were not all squabbling to be prima donnas.

"Different people have discovered different things," Ms Barry said. "We thought everyone would be wanting to be on stage and having the main parts but luckily they don't."

Because the children did not have any preconceptions about opera or inhibitions about what was possible, they had come up with a highly imaginative plot, she said.

The children have discovered aptitudes for a variety of roles

It is still being developed, but the thinking so far is this:

The Moon is the daughter of the Sun. A meteorite, jealous of all the attention the Moon gets, splits her in two. One half falls to earth in China and is treated as a goddess, the other half comes down in the USA and is put in a circus freak show. They have 30 days to get back together.

The finished libretto, score and designs are due to be presented to the rest of the school in October. Rehearsals at the opera house start a month later and the performances are scheduled for 2 and 3 December. The prime minister has been invited.

'Sparky children'

The head of the opera house's education department, Darryl Jaffray, said it was important to view the project in the right spirit.

"Whereas a performance here at the Royal Opera House is just that - and it almost doesn't matter how it gets onto the stage - in an educational project the process is equally important," she said.

"If the children have learned, developed their skills, worked together as a team, and the teachers and the school has grown from that, then it's been successful, even if the performance is not absolutely slick.

"But I'm sure it will be. They're very sparky children and they won't let us down and they won't let themselves down."