Community :: Resident Artists
"Syracuse Opera's Resident Artists Program allows us to reach parts of the community we've not been able to reach in the past. Our education and outreach programs have a dynamic edge and our artistic vision is accessible and meaningful."
- Director of Music Douglas Kinney Frost
Syracuse Opera launched its Resident Artists Program during the 2008-09 season. Designed to bring opera to the broader community, the program is the cornerstone of Syracuse Opera's education and outreach programming. For two periods over the course of the regular season, four singers and one pianist are "in residence" in Syracuse. They perform at numerous venues including schools, senior living facilities, and other civic and community organizations.
Selected through national auditions, the Resident Artists work to perfect their craft through training sessions with leaders in the performing arts including soprano Diana Soviero and stage director Bernard Uzan, who serve as artistic advisors to the program. A recent participant, tenor Nathaniel Peake (SO Resident Artist 2008-09), was selected as a 2010 Metropolitan Opera National Council Grand Finals Winner.
Community :: Education Programs
Operamania! , designed to meet core-curriculum needs, is a lively performance that introduces students of all ages to the wild world of opera. This fully staged and costumed production blurs the line between education and entertainment. Created by Douglas Kinney Frost, Syracuse Opera's Director of Music, Operamania! appeared for two seasons on PBS and has been featured by opera companies across the country in thousands of performances. Opera highlights include: The Magic Flute, Cinderella, Carmen, Porgy and Bess, and La Bohème. Ideally suited for grades K-7, this 40-minute presentation leaves its audience informed and inspired.
Barrio Bohème is an urban retelling of Puccini's operatic masterpiece. This new 40-minute, fully staged and costumed presentation features parts of Act I and Act III of La Bohème set in multi-lingual 1960's Spanish Harlem. Four star-crossed lovers work through issues of jealousy, betrayal, and true love. Included in the project is a study of urban visual art forms, including graffiti and protest art. Students connect to the classic themes of the opera expressed in accessible, modern mediums. Perfect for grades 8 and above.
Opera Up Close - Focused to inspire grades 7-12, Opera Up Close offers groups an intimate opportunity to converse with talented, rising opera stars. The discussion focuses on issues of career and life coaching with an emphasis on the performing arts. Topics include education, mentorship, arts in the 21 st century, connecting to technology, balancing career and family, and professional conduct. Truly a living classroom, the presentation includes performance opportunities from both sides of the footlights and can be further focused to meet specific group needs.
The above programs are available for a ten-week session in the fall and then again in the late winter/early spring. Each presentation can be tailored
to suit community center, retirement community, and church group audiences. Please call Education Manger Greg Skipton at (315) 475-4915 or e-mail
education@syracuseopera.com.
Mainstage Dress Rehearsal Observation
Syracuse Opera opens the dress rehearsal - held the Wednesday evening before each mainstage production - to educators and students interested in a real-world pedagogical experience. Music, theater, theater tech, literature, and foreign language students alike will benefit from this special access to the dress rehearsal. Generally offered from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., a short program is presented by a member of Syracuse Opera's staff followed by the first act of the opera. You are, of course, welcome to stay until the rehearsal's conclusion. This is an exceptional opportunity for students to gain insight to the professional opera rehearsal process. For more information, please call Education Manager Greg Skipton at (315) 475-5915 or e-mail education@ SyracuseOpera.com.
Community :: Aria Soceity
The Syracuse Opera Aria Society is a group devoted to promoting opera education for today and tomorrow, encouraging the appreciation of opera by new audiences, and supporting Syracuse Opera through membership dues.
The Aria Society:
- promotes education by bringing opera to students of all ages;
- provides funding for opera tickets to students who might not have the financial means to explore opera;
- creates community awareness of opera as an art form; and,
- helps sustain key Syracuse Opera programs and supports the company's commitment to artistic excellence.
As a member of the Aria Society you will be invited to three luncheons featuring keynote speakers each year, meet others interested in opera, learn more about opera as an art form, and help support Syracuse Opera's educational programs through membership dues - $35 per individual and $50 per couple.
For more information regarding membership and this season's events, please call (315) 475-5915 or e-mail info@syracuseopera.com.
download a membership form