Chautauqua Arts Education Opera in the Schools
“How many of you know the story of Hansel and Gretel?” asks Joel Clemons as Older Hansel at the start of each “Hansel and Gretel vs. the Witch” performance. Familiar with this beloved folktale, a sea of student hands from grades PreK-6 shoot up in excitement.
Opera in the Schools, a collaboration between Chautauqua Arts Education and Chautauqua Opera Company, brings opera into elementary classrooms around Chautauqua County. This year, 11 schools participated, reaching approximately 3,500 students.
The program dazzled young audiences with a lively 45-minute adaptation of Engelbert Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel, masterfully reimagined by Joshua Borths. The Chautauqua Opera Company will perform the enchanting opera Hansel and Gretel at the Chautauqua Amphitheater on Wednesday, July 24, so we tailored the program to introduce area students to this whimsical retelling with a twist that serves a need for kids today.
“Hansel and Gretel vs. the Witch’ gives us a glimpse of the Witch’s origin story,” said Director of Arts Education Suzanne Fassett-Wright. “She learns that with the help of her new friends, Hansel and Gretel, she can learn to use her magical powers for good if she just chooses to do so. This opera lets students know that it’s OK to ask for help — and that good friends help each other be the best version of themselves they can be, with grace, love and understanding.”
This program also included a classroom lesson led by each of the singers. These performers were trained as teaching artists to go into classrooms and instruct students how to be musical storytellers, creating soundscapes that retold the original story of Hansel and Gretel. They also sang for the students, providing them with the opportunity to hear the beauty of the operatic voice. To finish off each class, they played the Chautauqua Opera Company’s favorite game, “So You Think You’re Louder Than an Opera Singer?” with one winner from each classroom. Each student who won the competition in their classroom was invited to play the game as a part of the performance that day and to perform with Chautauqua Opera on stage at Chautauqua Institution for the annual Opera and Pops concert on July 11.
This year’s company included returning Opera in the Schools veteran, baritone Joel Clemens, singing the role of Older Hansel/Father. New this year to the program are three artists who will join the Chautauqua Opera Company as Young Artists this summer, soprano Amia Langer singing Gretel, mezzo-soprano Brennan Martinez singing Young Hansel and returning to Chautauqua Opera this summer, tenor Eric Botto singing The Witch/Tom Thumb. Also on the road with the company was beloved area pianist and piano teacher Kerry Byard, serving as Music Director, and Matt Cragan, tour bus driver. During rehearsal week, Valerie Trujillo served as Music Supervisor. We were thrilled to host Joshua Borths, adapter of this work, as Stage Director.
A very exciting addition to the Opera in the Schools team this year was Chautauqua Arts Education Resident Teaching Artist Stephanie Dawson, who served as tour and stage managers.
Dawson shared, “The Opera in the Schools program offers more than just the gift of song and storytelling: It provides a joyful experience where students can see themselves reflected in the faces and languages of our teaching artists. This program empowers students to be authentic and explore creative storytelling.”
Teacher feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Replying anonymously to a post-event survey, one teacher shared, “We loved all of it! It is so important to expose children to the arts! Thank you for enriching their world!”
Another teacher shared her experience, “I love when my students are able to see experiences that they would not likely otherwise, and this is absolutely one of them. It is a beautiful thing to share with them, and I’m so glad they are able to experience and learn about opera.”
