If you are a homeschooling parent in the Dallas area you must know about the Dallas Opera's Educational Program, it is outstanding. They offer programming for all ages from Opera Boot Camp for the very young, student performances for elementary age and dress rehearsals for high school age.
The Dallas Opera and Fort Worth Opera were two of the first performing arts programs I found when we moved to the Dallas area. I had never been to an opera and wasn't sure it was something I would enjoy. In a world of green screens and overtly high tech (non)reality entertaining the opera is still one of the purest forms of entertainment.
It has all the classical elements, a stage with creative and ingenious backdrops and I love to see the clever take on costuming. And of course, the music! The symphony of a live orchestra and some of the most amazing voices ever. Even having sung a Capella all my life in worship, there are incredible 'musical things' these talented performers can do with their voice that leave me in awe.
Today was the matinee performance of one of Mozart's earliest works, written at age 12, Bastien and Bastienne. It is a comedic one-act opera that tells the tale of a young shepherdess, Bastienne and her boyfriend, Bastien. Bastienne believe her love has fallen for a wealthy girl from the big city. Distressed she runs into Colas, the town magician who has a few ideas of his own on how to reunite the young couple. This opera is usually performed in German but because this is targeted for a young audience it was performed in English.
After the performance we got a behind the scenes look of how they break down the scenery. They pulled back all the curtains to reveal the set of Tosca which is currently running. The youth in the audience were fascinated as they changed the configuration of the giant retractable chandelier from it's ordinary arrangement to a festive Christmas tree.
I am fairly confident I was a set designer or costumer in a previous life. I look at all the artistic talent and think, 'oh, that's cool. I could that!' But I'm not sure what we would do with giant hay bales and a shepherdess costume!
Your teeth are like a flock of shorn ewes
that have come up from the washing,
all of which bear twins,
and not one among them has lost its young.
Song of Solomon 4:2
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