Everything we've learnt from more than fifty years of commissioning new opera for young performers.

This isn't a rulebook.

Every commission is different. Every writing team is different. But after decades of commissioning new opera, certain ideas return again and again.

The Writers' Handbook brings together the experience of our commissioning team, musical directors, composers and librettists in the hope that it will inspire your own ideas and help you create the strongest possible proposal.

Whether you eventually write for London Youth Opera or not, we hope these pages encourage you to write boldly, think theatrically and create stories that young performers will never forget.