In order to help celebrate National Children’s Craft Day, it is fitting that we’ve chosen the occasion to highlight some of the groundbreaking work contributed by one of our collaborators, Playground Opera. As described on their website, “The Playground Operas program, operated by the international nonprofit Opera on Tap, is a school day residency program that immerses elementary-school-aged students in the production and performance of an opera. With the guidance of professionals working in the field today, students explore the operatic experience from the first conception of an opera’s production to the exciting culmination of its performance.”
Founded by Executive Director Anne Hiatt, Playground Opera is “an award winning, STEAM program that emphasizes music and the performing arts, tech and media concepts such as video and audio recording, and life and career skills.”
For the past two years, Playground Opera has been working in collaboration with the Infosys Foundation and Chibitronics to integrate art, technology, and design into their operatic performances. In the process of increasing their outreach, the trajectory of Playground Opera’s impact has been extraordinary! With programs spanning New York, New Jersey, Michigan, Illinois, California, Tennessee, and Florida, Playground Opera has reached over 600 students!
According to Sam Nahra, the Playground Opera Assistant Director of Education and TA Lead, “Our two programs, Hansel und Gretel and La Cenerentola, both use Chibitronics to make the students’ sets and costumes, because we love putting the A in STEAM!” The students learn about paper circuits, “as part of a lesson about the behind the scenes of the opera and other jobs that are involved beyond just singing.”
The images featured below were “created as part of our red carpet event where students show off their hard work through a final film where they get to perform with real opera singers,” Sam explained.
As part of the Hansel und Gretel performances, ten teaching artists have helped children in grades third through fifth to create personalized, glowing leaves as part of their hands-on sets! Sam reported that there have been over 30 “red carpet” events so far!
Playground Opera has also brought their light up leaves to the Coney Island Maker Faire.
To learn more about Playground Opera, or to access a complimentary lesson through the Infosys Pathfinders portal, you may create an account here.