Schools
'Where the Wild Things Are': Scotland School Visits The New York City Opera
Scotland students got to visit the New York City Opera this month and even design part of the set.
On April 5, 5th grade students from Scotland Elementary School traveled to Lincoln Center in Manhattan to see the New York City Opera Company's production of "Where The Wild Things Are," a story and libretto by Maurice Sendak with music composed by Oliver Knussen.
The opera is based on the popular Sendak story from 1963. Sendak, who now lives in Ridgefield, worked to create this opera with Knussen in 1979.
Most of us already know the story: Max, dressed in a wolf suit, is found destroying his room so is sent to bed without supper. He escapes in a dream to a forest, the place of the Wild Things, who eventually crown him king. While enjoying his dance with the Wild Things, Max realizes that he misses home. When he wakes up, he is back home and his supper is waiting for him, “and it was still hot."
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Before the trip to NYC, Scotland 5th graders were visited by Opera Is Elementary (NYC Opera's Education program). A group of singers performed for the students and explored the story and sounds of this modern opera in order to prepare the students for their trip.
Opera is Elementary is an organization that visits schools and help students to interpret and understand high-quality art. In 2009-2010, the organization served more than 5,000 students in over 40 schools across the five boroughs as well as Westchester, New Jersey, Long Island, and Connecticut. The organization's website states that its aim is to expand the cultural awareness of students in addition to developing a deeper understanding of their own lives and of the world around them.
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According to the organization's website: “City Opera Education provides students with a three-dimensional introduction to the art form, transporting them from the page to the stage and then taking them behind the scenes.
"Students meet City Opera Teaching Artists and other theater professionals in the classroom. Then they go behind the scenes to see how productions work before watching everything unfold during City Opera’s world-class performances."
As part of the program funded by the Scotland PTA, a group of Scotland 5th graders volunteered to design the set for one of the scenes of the opera to be used in the Lincoln Center presentation! Their art work was projected onto the backdrop of the big and beautiful David H. Koch (NY State) Theater’s stage!
The contributing artists were: Kevin Andros, Taylor Brand, Maia Clarkin, Claire Dollins, Megan Fridrich, William Gasparrini, Sebastian Guccione, Nima Gurung, Mike Heller, Kesenia Hochberg, Annabel Kelly, Gabrielle LaCoille, Tiphaine Lainey, Anna Landler, Michael Lanzarone, Jack Maiorino, Julia Restivo, Isabelle Scheer, Tracey Stafford, Alice Townsend and Margaret Zhang.
Sally Alexandroff is a member of the Scotland Elementary School PTA.
