El Paso Opera has jumpstarted its education program and there's something for every age!
Our program geared towards students in grades K-5 is an original piece between 20 and 30 minutes long. This performance combines music from famous operas with original lyrics to provide students with a guide to the basics (e.g. What is an aria? What is a tenor?). It is performed by members of this fall’s El Paso Opera Artists-in-Residence program, Jenny Heidtman and Wesley Morgan, who are also the show’s creators.
The second in-school program we are offering during the 2009-10 season is Mozart’s One Act Opera The Impresario, which is a music theater-style opera combining spoken dialogue with arias and trios, geared toward grades 6-12. The performance running time is approximately 35 minutes and is presented in conjunction with the UTEP Vocal department. Currently, the 2010 schedule for Impresario is as follows:
February 1—Santa Teresa Elementary
School, Harmony Science Academy
February 2—Chaparral High School
February 3—Santa Teresa Middle
School, DaVinci School, El Paso Jewish Academy
February 4—Loretto Academy, Sun Ridge Middle School
February 9—Sierra Middle School, Vista Middle School, Las Cruces High School
March 27—Kidzpalooza
March 31—"Art of Opera" free public performance at the El Paso
Museum of Art
To book Impresario at your school or get more information about any of our education programs, contact Christian Garcia at (915) 581-5534 or christian@epopera.org.
During March, the El Paso Opera will partner with the El Paso Museum of Art to produce an exciting educational experience marrying art and opera. Every Wednesday in March from 12 noon to 1 p.m., the museum will host free presentations on the “Art of Opera.” The programs will feature live music and visual art to show audiences the relationship between art and opera throughout the years. Each week will feature a different genre of opera demonstrated in two live aria performances with piano accompaniment. The museum will add a visual aspect by pulling works from the permanent collection to discuss the cultural impact the specific genre had on contemporary art. Take a break during your day and enjoy fine art with us every Wednesday in March 2010!
Youth Night at the Opera has been a staple of El Paso Opera’s Education Program since the very beginning. Each year, more than 3000 students from the region are invited to the final dress rehearsal of our main stage production. For many of these students, this is their first time experiencing a full opera.
This season, Youth Night at the Opera will be on March 11 with a special presentation of Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess. To find out how your students can attend Youth Night, contact Christian Garcia at (915) 581-5534 or christian@epopera.org.
El Paso Opera is made possible with the support of the City of El Paso Museums and Cultural Affairs Department, Texas Commission on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.
