Opera and Olympics combined in after-school program.
Children practice poses during the Canadian Opera Company's after school opera program at East York Community Centre, Feb. 1.
Staff photo/NICK PERRY
A group of young people are combining opera and the Olympic spirit in a special after-school program.
The Canadian Opera Company is in the middle of the winter session of its After School Opera Program that runs at four locations around the city. A recent visit to the group of young people at the East York Community Centre location caught them doing a run-through and learning blocking for the opera they will perform on their final day, March 8.
The 25 students come to the community centre every Monday for 10 weeks to work with composer and program leader Dean Burry.
"The idea behind the program is it's an introduction to opera and to the art form," he said.
The students don't just sing and act, they also learn movement and foster their creativity by designing their costumes and helping Burry come up with the story. He presents a different theme for each session. (There are three sessions each year - fall, winter and spring). It was only natural to have the theme for the winter session be the Olympic Winter Games as Vancouver 2010 begins Feb. 12.
The students will portray figure skaters, bobsledders, speed skaters, journalists and mascots in the piece that follows the Canadian ski team as it tries to make its way to Whistler. They're having fun preparing and are looking forward to performing the piece called Go For The Gold.
"One of my favourite parts is performing it in front of all the parents and all my friends," said Marie Sherman, 11.
This is her third time participating in the after school program, but her first in East York.
She was looking for a drama class and heard about the program. She attended with a friend and they both really love it.
James Hogan, 10, heard about the program from a friend and thought he would give it a try. This is his second time participating.
"My favourite part is probably the singing," he said.
James wasn't that familiar with opera before, but now he's learned a lot.
"I didn't have much of an idea, but I knew what it would sort of be like," he said.
All of the students not only get to participate in their own opera, they also get to see a professional one.
Burry said the program is also a way of sharing what opera truly is to young people, not the stereotypical depiction of opera as big and bold with notes that can break glass.
"Opera really is just story telling," he said. "It's all about making opera relevant to young people."
Burry was hired to design the program 12 years ago and he's been running it ever since. He enjoys it and gets just as much out of it as his students.
"It's widely creative and it feeds that for me too," he said.
The students don't just get their creative juices flowing, they also learn other skills that translate to school and other parts of their lives.
Some of the kids who come in who are a little shy and quiet to start, blossom and develop confidence in the 10 weeks.
"That's a nice side benefit to doing this kind of program," Burry said.
They also learn how to work together. "It's very much about team work," he said.
Because a new theme is used every session for the piece, Burry finds about half of the students return each time. This helps and adds to the dynamic too as the more experienced students can help the newer ones and the new ones bring a fresh perspective.
The program is open to children aged seven to 12. The cost is $10 for the 10 week session with the classes running each week from 4-6 p.m. There are also sessions held at Barbara Frum Community Centre on Tuesdays, St. Christopher House Music School on Wednesdays and at the Joey and Toby Tanenbaum Opera Centre on Thursdays.