An Opera at Carden School
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The Village Opera Theater Company visited our school on Friday, March 23, 2007. VOT is currently using an outreach program to present live opera-based theatrical performances to elementary schools. During their visit to our school, the VOT presented Chanticleer by Seymour Barab, a one act comic opera. The children enjoyed it very much and especially appreciated the question and answer session by the performers after the show. For most students, this was their first opera experience. Below are some student reactions to the performance, in writing and in digital artwork.
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Brandon, 5th Grade:
Antonio, Kindergarten:
Frances, 5th Grade:
David, 5th Grade:
Carlos, Kindergarten:
Devyn, 5th Grade:
Brandon, Kindergarten:
Taylor R., 5th Grade:
Ashley, 5th Grade:
Naomi, Kindergarten:
Sophie, 5th Grade:
Kyle, 5th Grade:
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Philip, 6th Grade:
This was the first opera that I have ever been to. An opera is a play sung by many people in many different pitches. I liked it because all of the characters where very good and really got into their acting. The funniest character I thought was the male chicken because he would constantly do a line with a lot of emotion. All of the singers had different pitches of singing. All of the women had very high pitched voices and all of the men had very low pitched voices. The fox had a higher voice than the male chicken but it was still very low. My favorite part of the play was when the fox captured the woman and was about to bring her to be lunch. Then, heroically, both of the chickens and the woman teamed up and defeated the evil wolf once and for all. This play made me laugh so much even though some of the words I could not understand. Max, 4th Grade: This was a very good opera because I have never seen an opera before, but it was still good. Now, an opera is a story that is sung instead of talked. I think that the funniest character was the fox. I think he was the funniest character because of the way he acted. The song that pops into my head is the song that Chanticleer sang. My favorite part was when the maid started hitting the fox. I would like to see more operas but not be in one.
Megan, 6th Grade: The opera at school was my first opera. An opera is a performance in which people sing the lyrics instead of saying them, and they usually sing in very high-pitched voices. There were two women and two men in this opera. Both women were sopranos and one man was tenor and one was baritone. The opera was about a women who had two chickens who were married and the wolf wanted to eat one of the chickens. It was very similar to ?The Three Little Pigs.? The name of the Opera was Chanticleer. In my opinion Chanticleer's wife was the funniest character. It was funny how she would get mad at Chanticleer and wouldn't listen to him. Then the wolf would come and try to capture her. I thought Chanticleer was kind of annoying, because he spent, like, ten or fifteen minutes singing ? Cock-a Cock-a COCK-A-doodle-DOO!!? and it was kind of unnecessary. I thought. It was a good show, but I didn't enjoy it very much because I don't really like that kind of music or entertainment. But if I liked opera I probably would have really enjoyed it. I would not like to perform in an opera because I can't sing at all, and I don't like that kind of music anyway. It was a good performance and their makeup was really good. Kari, 4th Grade: This was my first opera that I ever saw. Opera is a kind of music when sometimes people sing high pitch or low pitch. The funniest character was the fox because, he wore a funny mask and it started falling off during the play. I did not remember any of the songs. I did not have a favorite type of song but the music was beautiful. The best part was when the women got the broom and started hitting the fox with it. I would never see another opera again because, it is too loud and you can hear it in the front of the school when they are in the back of the school practicing.
Hana, 4th Grade: I really did enjoy the opera because I have never seen one before. I was really fascinated by the characters and their voices. I think the fox was the funniest but he was still scary because of all of the costumes that he wore. I would like to see another opera. I do think it was a little like a Broadway show that I once saw because of the singing. I was about to fall asleep during the "Cock-A-Doodle-Doo" song. It was very interesting to see. I really liked it very much and I would see another one. Davin, 4th Grade: This was my first opera. An opera is when some people put on costumes and sing a bunch of words and act at the same time as singing. The fox was the funniest character because he was always trying to catch the chickens so he could eat them. I don't remember any names of the songs but my favorite song would probably be all of the songs. My favorite part of the opera was when the fox came out and was hiding from the lady that always sang every morning. I would like to see more operas in the future because it is nice to watch people act. I would like to perform in an opera because I like to sing.
Olivia, 6th Grade: The Opera was my first Opera. An Opera is a performance where people are singing the words instead of speaking them. My favorite person was the girl chicken. I think that she had the best voice and I could understand her the best. I liked her outfit the most too. Her mask was very different and it was cool. My favorite part was when she and the other woman were fighting over the other chicken. I do not remember any of the songs but they were all played on piano. I liked the first song because it had a nice rhythm. There were four people in the play. One was a wolf, there were two chickens, and a normal woman. I do not want to see another Opera because I think that I was a little too young to be interested in it. And I think that they should have not have had the music so loud, so we could here what they were singing. They were very good for their first time but they need to work on it more so they can get better. My opinion is that the opera was OK, and they did better then I would. I give them credit because I could not get up in front of an audience and do that.
Christopher, 6th Grade: On March 23, 2007, an Opera came to Carden School. It was called Chanticleer. It consisted of great acting and great piano playing. There were four actors, one pianist, and one music director. Although this was my first opera, I enjoyed it. An opera is a play where all of the lines are sung. My comments are that the music was played a little too loud and that the words were hard to understand. My favorite character was the fox. He tried to eat the chickens and he dressed up in many disguises including a duke, an opera director, a beggar, and a collector. In the end the fox never ate the chickens. I would like to see more operas in the future and maybe even perform in one, but I believe it would be hard to carry a note for long time like the performers at Carden. |











