Opera for
Schools
Education Programs for Young People
Student Dress Rehearsal Program
Opera in Schools Program
Britten Festival
Student Dress Rehearsal Program
A Night at the Opera
This popular program exposes some 3000 students per season to fully staged opera productions.
Full-time students in elementary, middle, secondary and post-secondary institutions, as well as home learners, have the opportunity to attend the dress rehearsals for POV`s productions. Tickets are ordered through a recognized school, college or university, and tickets are distributed to full-time students only. The required chaperone ratio for elementary schools is one teacher per ten students.
Study guides are sent to participating schools so that teachers can introduce each new opera to the classroom. This helps them prepare students for the opportunity to attend the final dress rehearsal of each production.
More Information
- Guidelines and Application Form for Cherniavsky's "Mr. Music" Fund, which offers grants to schools to assist in purchasing tickets for students to attend live performances.
To learn more about POV's education programs, contact Janet Lewis at 250.382.1641 or
Opera in Schools Program
POV's Opera in Schools Program visited elementary and middle schools in Fall 2010 and again in Spring 2011, presenting an abridged version of Engelbert Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel. Our production, with the West Coast as its backdrop, featured aspiring young local opera singers who were excited to introduce the drama and adventure of opera to students.
This 45 minute Touring Opera for Young Audiences was sung in English with piano, sets, and costumes.
The music for Hansel and Gretel was from Engelbert Humperdinck's beloved opera. The libretto was created by Alison Greene, who directed the production and is a recognized scholar on aboriginal opera; Rose Spahan, a respected Coast Salish artist who is Aboriginal Curator in Residence at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria; and John Elliott, Language Educator, LÁU,WELNEW Tribal School.
The adapted opera blends the fairy tale of Hansel and Gretel with Coast Salish legends. Nathan Brown's Emily Carr inspired designs help to enrich the Coast Salish Interpretation of this classic fairy tale.
Faculty and coaches included Rebecca Hass, Patrick Corrigan, Michael Shamata, Oriol Tomas, Jacques Lemay, Teresa Turgeon, Joanne Hounsell, and Music Director Joey Pietraroia, supported by pianist Kim Cousineau.
The four performers in the production were Tamara Rusque, Alex Granat, Eve Daniell, and Elizabeth Humphries.
Britten Festival
The 2012/13 season's Opera in Schools Tour is replaced by the Britten Festival, a celebration of Benjamin Britten's 100th birthday that will bring youth onto the stage and into the audience. The Britten Festival includes
- POV's mainstage production of Albert Herring February 7 to 15, at the Royal Theatre.
- Noye's Fludde, an enchanting opera about Noah and his ark, featuring an orchestra of both professional and student musicians and singing roles for professionals and children, including a children's chorus for the procession of animals into the Ark. Presented in collaboration with the Victoria Conservatory of Music and the Victoria Children's Choir. February 14 and 16, 2013, at the Church of St. John the Divine.
- Let's Make an Opera / The Little Sweep, a charming introduction to the making of an opera, presented in collaboration with the Belfry Theatre and conducted by Giuseppe Pietraroia. March 2 to 10, 2013, at the Belfry Theatre.
To learn more about POV's Education Programs or for Student Dress Rehearsal informaiton, a designated school representative may contact Janet Lewis at 250.382.1641 or
Education Programs
MOSS ROCK PARK FOUNDATION
Raising Voices Youth Programs
Young Artist & Chorus Development
DAVID SPENCER MEMORIAL FUND
NRS FOUNDATION