George Jibson, who joined Pocklington School this year after attending Warter CE Primary School, will star in Puccini’s La Bohème.

The opera will be sung in Italian and staged at The Grand Opera House next January. It will then go on tour to Manchester, Newcastle and Nottingham.

At his audition George had to sing in Italian and dance. At Warter School he was a member of the choir and also sang with a group called Platform at Cottingham High School.

He said: “I’ve not seen much opera and I don’t know much about it but I’m willing to learn and very much looking forward to performing with Opera North.”

Mrs Meinardi, voice teacher at Pocklington School, spotted George’s talent and suggested he audition for the part.

She said: “It is a very real achievement for someone of George’s age to be selected from a non-stage school to perform at this level. He will be one of a small chorus of street urchins who appear in the second act of La Bohème.

“Although Pocklington has had a number of talented pupil singers in recent years, George is the first and youngest student, to enjoy this kind of success. Everyone is delighted for him and his friends and teachers at Pocklington are all making plans to attend one of his performances at The Grand Opera House in Leeds.”