Opera on Tap introduces:

History

OOT Jr. was conceived in collaboration with the JCC/Manhattan’s cultural division. Admiring our success at presenting opera to new audiences in an entertaining and casual format, the JCC presented OOT with an opportunity to create a children’s program that would incorporate our already proven knack for making opera entertaining into an educationally structured program. Having a large roster of singers, many of them having experience in the education field, we put together a brain trust of participants to brainstorm a replicable format that could be applied to any opera we chose to focus on. Hence, our first show was born: Passport to the Magic Flute. The first performance took place on Saturday November 10th, 2007 at the JCC/Manhattan. It was very well received by both the audience and the JCC administrators. We were invited back later in the season for a second performance. Directly applying the format we put together with our brain trust we created Passport to Carmen. That performance took place on Saturday March 8th at the JCC for equally receptive audiences.

The Concept

In keeping with the Opera on Tap credo of showcasing the entertainment aspect of opera, we wanted our Jr. program to first be fun, and second be educational. Our format speaks to the contemporary child employing modern everyday speech and even makes references to technology. The format was designed for ages 4-7 demographically and is designed to keep the kids interested in the show by directly involving them and having the performers directly interact with them.

Every show takes place in Operaland. The audience members are travelers in this land and are given a passport as they enter the performance space. At the end of the program their passports are stamped with the opera they just experienced. There is an airline attendant who guides the passengers through their travels. Much like our adult shows, the airline attendant is an emcee who acts as intermediary between the kids and the performers. He/she is an essential character, there to tell the story of the opera, and clarify any complicated aspects of the show to the kids in a language they’ll understand. He or she is in possession of the remote control device that is capable of freezing characters at certain key moments in the script. At times, the attendant can allow volunteers from the audience to come up on stage and use the remote control to freeze and un-freeze characters. The device has been extremely useful in teaching the kids about different musical concepts that are employed in opera.

With every show, one opera is presented and one musical concept is paired with it. For example in Passport to The Magic Flute the concept of high vs. low is highlighted. In Passport to Carmen, fast vs. slow is highlighted. Framing every program is the official OOT jr. theme song: Opera Opera, which Opera on Tap commissioned from New York up-and- coming composer Christian Mcleer. Christian has been composing pieces for children for over 5 years now and has great success as the artistic director of his own outreach company The Remarkable Theater Brigade.

NOW YOU CAN BRING THE KIDS TO OOT!

Past Shows:

Saturday November 10th, 2007
The JCC/Manhattan

Saturday March 8th, 2008
The JCC/ Manhattan

The JCC/Manhattan
334 Amsterdam Avenue at 76th Street
New York, NY 10023
(646)505-4444