Opera ISU Children’s Outreach Program
Diana Livingston Friedley and Elisabeth Curtis
November 21, 2023
Opera ISU has been on the move in 2023! ISU students enrolled in Opera Workshop prepared a children’s outreach program and traveled to three area elementary schools.
Miren Gabiola (senior), John DeRouen (senior), Mavity Shaw (sophomore), and Gabriel Lowman (alumni) performed scenes from Verdi’s La Traviata, Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte, Le Nozze di Figaro, Puccini’s La Bohème, and Rossini’s Il barbiere di Siviglia.
In this fast-paced comedic show, students from Washington, Ellis, and Holy Spirit learned about what goes into making an opera. The elementary students had the opportunity to participate as dancers, stage directors, lighting directors, and orchestra members. At the end of the show students were taught the difference between bravo, brava and bravi!
ISU alumni, Gabe Lowman, interacts with students at Washington Elementary
Children at Washington Elementary watching the Opera Workshop presentation
"It was so fun. I love how it was interactive and they chose kids to participate. I got to direct!” says Catherine, a fifth grader at Washington Elementary. “The sets were really cool, too. It made me think I want to do that someday!"
ISU students spent September and October learning the music, and then staging the scenes. A “trial” run of this interactive show happened during class at the end of October in the form of a dress rehearsal for friends and families. With numerous other performances in their schedules, (senior recitals, competitions) the three shows were scheduled the week before Thanksgiving break. It is the hope of Opera ISU to continue this outreach every fall.
Students at Washington Elementary conduct and provide lighting for ISU opera performers