Opera Etc.
for Youth and Schools
Young People love Opera!
Pacific Opera engages young people in the creation, performance, and experience of opera through a growing variety of initiatives for youth and schools.
A wide range of engaging opportunities are offered for students in elementary, middle, secondary and post-secondary institutions, as well as home learners. Programs include full scale performances, workshops, and opera creation; and are delivered in schools and classrooms, as well as at the Royal theatre and the Baumann Centre, during the school year, summer and spring breaks.
Professional Development Days for teachers and educators are offered in partnership with the Greater Victoria Public Library and the Royal BC Museum.
What's On
Opera Performances
Young people love opera!
Students, families, and home learners are invited to attend the Preview (Dress Rehearsal) for Pacific Opera productions.
Dates
IL TRITTICO Student Preview
FLIGHT Student Preview
CARMEN Student Preview
School Groups Elementary, middle, secondary, and post-secondary schools may make group bookings by calling the Pacific Opera Box Office 250-385-0222. Elementary and middle schools require a minimum of one chaperone for every 10 students. Maximum one chaperone for every five students.
Students Secondary and post-secondary students may order tickets directly from the Pacific Opera Box Office with valid student ID 250-385-0222.
Families may attend with children and order tickets directly from the Pacific Opera Victoria Box Office 250-385-0222. Maximum one adult per child. Not suitable for babes in arms.
Tickets are non-refundable. Please book at least one week prior to performance day. Tickets will be mailed to you prior to the performance.
Location
Royal Theatre
805 Broughton Street, Victoria
Opera In Schools
Music by Maxime Goulet.
Libretto by Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas and Barry Gilson.
A new opera for young people
In this enchanting new opera , the animals of the forest are inspired to come together by Dukdukdiya, the Hummingbird, to save their beautiful home from a raging fire.
The Flight of the Hummingbird is based on an indigenous parable from the Quechuan people of South America. The story of the brave hummingbird travelled through pre-contact trade routes to become well known within Haida culture. This opera is influenced by the graphic novel written by Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas and will include elements of his dramatic Haida-manga illustrations.
The Flight of the Hummingbird is co-commissioned and co-produced by Pacific Opera Victoria and Vancouver Opera.
The opera is 45-minutes in length and features four singers and a small ensemble. The production is suitable for students in Kindergarten through Grade 9. The production is accompanied by a study guide aligned with the First People’s Principles of Learning and the BC curriculum. The study guide was created by an advisory council of Indigenous artists, educators and knowledge keepers.
Inquiries
For Vancouver Island and Gulf Islands
Amy Culliford
Box Office Manager
Pacific Opera Victoria
boxoffice@pacificopera.ca
250 385 0222
For Vancouver and Mainland BC
Courtney Dugan
Education and Community Projects Coordinator
Vancouver Opera
cdugan@vancouveropera.ca
604 331 4960
Opera Learning
An engaging introduction to opera for elementary school students, Living Opera workshops bring teaching artists into the classroom for 40 mins of fun and music-based learning and story-telling.
Recommended for grades 3 to 8.
Offered during the three weeks leading up to each main stage production.
Dates
September 30 to October 18, 2019: Il trittico
Teachers: Download the Information Package with details about the fall 2019 Living Opera workshops. The package also includes information about the student preview of Il trittico and the 2020 Opera in Schools tour of The Flight of the Hummingbird.
February 3 to 21, 2020: LIving Opera Workshops for Flight
March 30 to April 17, 2020: Living Opera Workshops for Carmen
Reservations
Educators may invite a Living Opera workshop to their classroom by contacting the box office at Pacific Opera Victoria: 250.385.0222 or
Email boxoffice@pacificopera.ca
A free introduction to opera for children 8 to 12. Living Opera workshops bring teaching artists into the library for 40 mins of fun and music-based learning and story-telling.
Recommended for grades 3 to 8
At the Greater Victoria Public Library
Central Branch, 735 Broughton St.
Register online or call the Greater Victoria Public Library at 250.940.4875
Week-long Summer camps (for ages 8 to 13 and for teens aged 14 to 18) will invite small groups of 12 to 15 participants to create and perform an opera. The goal is to empower youth to tell a story through music, with guidance from a teaching artist, a composer, and an art teacher.
Beginning with the outline of a story, participants will learn how to decide what is a solo, what is a duet, and what scenes are needed to tell this story. Together they will craft lyrics and make up tunes, which will be transcribed and given a chordal background by the composer. With guidance from the art teacher, the children will envision the set and costumes to flesh out the show and ready it for a performance for family members at the end of the week.
Dates
Please stay tuned for Opera Camp dates on Professional Development Days, during Spring Break, and Summer Break.
Reservations
To register or to learn more about available bursaries or extended childcare, please contact Rebecca Hass at rebecca@pacificopera.ca or call 250.382.1641 ext. 204.
Location
The Baumann Centre
925 Balmoral Road
In partnership with the Victoria Native Friendship Centre, Pacific Opera invites participants in the VNFC’s RAVE Youth Drop-in program to discover aspects of music and theatre through workshops in stagecraft, set design, physical theatre, and more. Youth participants are also hosted at Pacific Opera’s production facility (the Opera Shop) for hands-on building with our Head Carpenter. The program also includes a backstage tour of the Royal Theatre, and free attendance at Student Previews.
The program is offered free of charge and is intended to meet the needs of VNFC’s youth clients, respect cultural perspectives, and reduce barriers to full participation in artistic creation.
Dates
To be Announced.
Reservations
This is a drop-in program. For information, contact the VNFC Youth Department, which provides a variety of programming and events to stimulate a positive, supportive, and creative environment for Aboriginal Youth.
250.384.3211
http://www.vnfc.ca/programs-services/youth-department
Location
Drop-in sessions are at the Victoria Native Friendship Centre, 231 Regina Ave., Victoria
The Sacred Circle project is offered through School District 61’s Aboriginal Nations Education Division (ANED). The project takes a traditional story from elder Butch Dick, and invites Indigenous students from a half dozen schools in the district to create the elements for a theatrical presentation. It is their story to tell.
Stagecraft professionals and creative artists from Pacific Opera provide requested resources to help the students fulfill their creative vision as they work on the story, singing, costumes, wigs, makeup, set construction, painting, props, sound, lights, and stage management. Visits to the Opera Shop where Pacific Opera’s sets, costumes, and props are built provide youth with an opportunity to see opera production in action and to develop an understanding of possible careers in theatre.
Dates
To be Announced.
Reservations
Participation in the Sacred Circle Program is coordinated through ANED. For information contact
Sarah Rhude, Cultural Facilitator, Aboriginal Education srhude@sd61.bc.ca
250.475.4124
Location
TBC
Pacific Opera is working with ICA to provide programming for youth ages 7 to 18, who are new to Canada. This partnership features classes by professional artists on theatrical skills (voice, acting, movement, set and costume creation), along with opportunities for participants to visit the Opera Shop to see the sets for an opera production, to meet the costume, props, and set crew, and to attend a Student Preview at the Royal Theatre.
This project helps the children experience what is happening in their new community, fosters community connections, and demonstrates that there are viable work opportunities in theatre.
As some participants discover a passion for music and theatre, we will encourage them to integrate with the Opera Creation Camps, connecting youth who are new to Canada with their peers, using a shared project to build community.
Dates
Monthly classes to be announced.
Reservations
Participation in the workshops is coordinated through ICA. For information contact
Paulina Grainger, Arts & Outreach Coordinator, Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria, pgrainger@icavictoria.org
Location
ICA, 930 Balmoral Road