Opera Etc.

A new opera for young people

Music by Maxime Goulet.
Libretto by Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas and Barry Gilson.

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 45 minutes in length and features four singers and a small ensemble. The production is suitable for students in Kindergarten through Grade 9.

Learning resources and videos that accompany the opera are available.

Week-long Spring Break and Summer camps 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.

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.

Educators may invite a Living Opera workshop to their classroom by contacting the box office at Pacific Opera Victoria: 250.385.0222 or 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.

Watch for future presentations of Living Opera at the Library.

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.

This is a drop-in program. Drop-in sessions are at the Victoria Native Friendship Centre, 231 Regina Ave., Victoria

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

Pacific Opera works with the Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria (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.

The workshops are held at ICA, 930 Balmoral Road. Participation is coordinated through ICA.

For information, please contact Paulina Grainger, Arts & Outreach Coordinator, Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria, pgrainger@icavictoria.org

Pacific Opera Victoria offers Professional Development Days for teachers and educators in partnership with the Greater Victoria Public Library and the Royal BC Museum.

Student Rush Tickets are available at the door of the Royal Theatre one hour prior to any regular performance (valid student ID required, subject to availability). Rush tickets are $15 for the best seats available anywhere in the theatre!

Experience live opera at a fraction of the cost of regular tickets! 30 and Younger is a free membership program for anyone aged 30 or under. Members may buy up to two tickets for 50% off the regular adult ticket price on selected performances and seating sections.