Opera Quest Onstage
Opera the Great! combines music excerpts and plots from classic operas in an interactive, fun show designed for elementary-aged children. We created the show with specific educational goals. And since kids learn best through participation, our script lets them try out opera gestures and singing styles, join the chorus, and even come onstage as opera characters.
The five singers appear to be improvising the story as they go along, pulling props out of a big chest and accompanied by a one-woman “orchestra.” The story hinges on the plight of the Soprano and Tenor, who are hopelessly smitten but can't get married without the approval of her reluctant Papa. The basso Villain offers to sell them a magic potion—if they can afford it! Carmen, the mezzo, arrives to distract all the men, and the baritone Buffo provides comic relief.
The show includes a brief history of opera, its vocal parts and languages. Audience members learn valuable skills like an opera handshake and a villainous laugh. One boy is chosen to play Papa and one girl to play the maid who saves the day, and several children come onstage to help the villain mix his potion. At the end, there’s time for a Q&A with the performers.
Students have lots of fun—but the benefits go deeper, too. They experience the beauty of live classical music, often for the first time. And studies show that music participation helps children excel academically.
“Every principal consistently tells me this is one of the most engaging and delightful assemblies they have hosted.”
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