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Opera Guild of San Antonio

Education Programs

 

Opera in the Schools

As we begin our 7th year of the Opera in the Schools program, the Opera Guild continues to reach out to local public, private and home-schooled students to introduce them to the great art form of opera.  In 2007-2008, we reached over 16,000 students with our program and will continue expanding this wonderful audience in 2009.

With the continuing assistance of our partner, UTSA, we are able to tour small scale operas to local elementary schools. These tours have been very successful as letters of praise from teachers and students attest.

In May 2008 we toured Hansel and Gretel  to the elementary schools in San Antonio and Austin.  One of the highlights of these tours is the addition of a chorus of children from each school in the opera.  In 2008 and 2009, we will take Seymour Barib’s The Pied Piper of Hamelin to area elementary schools.   Each teacher will be provided with a comprehensive teacher’s guide to the opera prepared by Dr. William McCrary of UTSA.  At the conclusion of the performances, the Guild traditionally gifts the principals of each school with a copy of the book or DVD for the school library.

Middle and high school students will be invited to attend performances of Cosi fan Tutti by Mozart at the Buena Vista Theatre. They will also enjoy a dress rehearsal performance of San Antonio Opera’s The Mikado. Teacher’s guides written by professional, Dr. Cynthia Herbert, will be provided in advance so that the teachers can prepare their students.  The schools will also receive a DVD of the opera.

The Opera in the Schools program would not be possible without the assistance of our partners, Dr. William McCrary and his student singers from the UTSA Music Dept. and our faithful volunteers from the Guild.   Special thanks go to Roger Bessey, our Executive Director, for writing to obtain grants to support the program.

 

Adult Education

Adult Education is another focus of the Guild.  In our 2007-2008 year we were able to serve over 800 adults in our various programs.  If you haven’t joined us, please do attend one of the numerous programs.   Last year, our Opera Study Course focused on The Life and Works of Verdi.  This year we will begin in the fall to study the Opera of Mozart.   Please contact Elizabeth Lyle and join this lively group on Mondays from 1 pm to 4 pm.  Our Opera Enhancement Evening which will feature a dinner at the San Antonio Country Club with a speaker/performer from the field of opera promises to be a very special evening this January.   The three bus trips Mary Jane Howe is planning to the Austin Lyric Opera for their performances in November, February and April are always well attended.  This past year due to the purchase by the Guild of special video equipment, we were able to offer Matinee afternoons at various locations in San Antonio.  These will again be offered and you may contact Maggie Hardy or me for more information.

 

Margaret King Stanley Vice President, Education

 

 

 

page updated September 2008