As a new school year begins, we reflect on a summer of singing with youth and teachers across Boston. Through new and existing partnerships, BLO Teaching Artists immerse students and teachers into the world of creating an opera.
JUNE
We wrapped up the school year with our Create Your Own Opera Partnership schools and celebrated with their final performances! BLO’s 2017/2018 School Partnerships included:
- 10 schools, 644 students
- 15 original operas created and performed
- Over 1,350 community members cheering in the audiences
- More than 135 teaching hours in classrooms by BLO Teaching Artists
Watch to learn more:
JULY & AUGUST
BLO partnered for the first time with the Boys & Girls Club of Boston’s Mattapan Teen Center, sending a teaching artist to lead a group of 30 youth in the creation of their own opera during the center’s summer session. The youth created an original story as well as original music.
Want to hear more about our summer with the Mattapan Teen Center? Read this article from WBUR.
Eleven teachers participated in Opera Creation Boot Camp: A Professional Development Intensive where they learned and practiced how to lead youth through the process of creating their own opera.
At the same time, BLO offered a week-long, full-day Opera Camp for seven youth in partnership with VOICES Boston children’s chorus. Teacher-participants in the Intensive took turns leading these youth, culminating in an original opera inspired by the picture-book The Mysteries of Harris Burdick by Chris Van Allsburg.
Thank you to our school partners and BLO supporters who made this summer of arts education possible. We look forward to the 2018/19 school year!
Photos (top to bottom):
Teacher participants in BLO's Opera Boot Camp brainstorm with students, using a picture book to inspire an original opera.
Jaye Kincade, Clark LaCossade and D'Ahmen Holloman in a performance of “The Conversation” at the Mattapan Teen Center.
Opera Boot Camp in session with teacher participants.
Teachers in set construction workshop with BLO teaching artists.
Youth Upper Camp students rehearse.
5th grade students at Joseph Lee K-8 perform Lil’Red, a fractured fairy tale opera, at their end of year performance. (Photo by Liza Voll Photography)
