Help for libretto writing

Oct. 1^st, 2009

Dear Teachers,

In anticipation of this Opera by Children season with you, I have been contemplating how I may be of assistance as you have your students write their story. Having written the piano accompaniments for well over one hundred children’s operas, I’m getting a good sense of what works well. I think about and visualize the children as they perform their opera and try to adapt their libretto to be very singable. I want to make the story they create fit into many little songs. It helps if when they write the story, they have a concept of ‘song’ writing. The following are some helps for you to facilitate your students in writing their libretto using many songs and minimizing recitative:

A song is a place where the character(s) STOP and sing (expand upon) what is happening, or what they are feeling. Examples taken from actual children’s operas will help to explain this:

Example one:

The Indians are trying to capture some monkeys. They sing, “Hey you, come and get some bananas.” At this point the monkeys could sing, “Okay, yum, yum, yum” Both the Indians and the monkeys have sung recitative.

To turn this scenario into songs, ask the students “what else can the Indians sing to entice the monkeys to come and get the bananas?” This, taken from the actual libretto is what the students wrote:

Bananas, bananas, delicious bananas.

Hey you monkeys, come and get them.

Don’t go hungry, they’re waiting for you.

Bananas, bananas, delicious bananas.

Then the monkeys sing:

Bananas, bananas, we like bananas.

Let’s go get em, they look so good.

Bananas, bananas, we like bananas,

Yum, yum, yum, so delicious.

Example two:

The characters are traveling through time. Instead of just a music bridge where they act like they are going somewhere, they sang:

We’re traveling through time

To the future

We’re traveling through time

Who will we see?

We’re traveling through time

To the future.

We’re traveling through time

Who will we see?

In visually scanning the libretto, it is easy to see if it is written in song or in recitative.

Example three: Recitative

Singers: What’s happening?

Athletes: Where are we”

Cheerleaders: How did we get here?

Dancers: It looks like we are inside the T.V.

Singers: How are we going to get out?

This opera went on for four pages, single spaced just like this. The students used much imagination in creating the story, BUT it was very difficult to set it to music and

it was difficult for them to remember and to sing.

When you encounter conversation or recitative like this, combine the characters to sing a song accomplishing the same thing i.e.

All: Where are we?

How did we get here?

What is happening?

Are we inside the T.V.

When are we going to get out?

Who can help us?

Who, what, when, where, why?

(I did not make up this song. I remembered it from a different opera

and adapted it to this scenario.)

I hope this will be helpful as you facilitate your students in writing their stories. If you have questions or your students “get stuck” along the way, email me and perhaps I can help.

Thank you again for doing Opera by Children with your class.

Sincerely.

Nancy Griffin,  Music Specialist

A New Beginning for Teachers, Students and Us

Welcome back, my good opera friends.  And welcome my new opera friends.  This has been a difficult year for so many people in our families as well as in our neighborhoods and in the ever growing areas of our concern.  In fact, when we look at the news in the morning, our hearts go out to people we will never meet and who will never know us at all.  And yet  we shed tears or laughter, sorrows and joys with total strangers.  Sometimes we pray for them and thank God for them or ask Him to watch over them.

What can we do with all of this turmoil?  How we can we, unique individuals, just one person, affect good in the lives of people with whom we share a short time on this little spot of ground?  We look for ways to bless the lives of those for whom we have stewardship and then just do our best in that small area.  That is my belief.

You are teachers!  You have an amazing opportunity to reach, touch, bless and change the lives of perhaps 20-25 little people each year.

My dear friend Veloy Richards will retire this year after 44 years of teaching first graders.  By my calculations, she has taught at least 1100 children.  Has she changed only their lives?  Or has she also changed the lives of their children, and by now their grandchildren?  I believe so.  She is just that kind of teacher.  She has loved and nurtured each little soul that has entered her classroom year after year.  She has also had fun with them, laughed with them, sung with them, danced with them, and made operas with them for 10 of those years.

She has helped them to understand each other's different cultures and languages and backgrounds and challenges.  I have watched her use the opera as a tool to accomplish miracles with these little ones.

They will miss her.  So will we.  But her influence will never stop.

Thank you, all of you, for allowing me the privilege of knowing you and having a little look into your world.  You have given me a much broader understanding and appreciation of A TEACHER.

Good luck with your operas!  Have a great year!!  Write on this blog!!!  I want to know your successes as well as your failures.

Susan Ames
Education Director, Utah Festival Opera
www.operabychildren.org
ames@ufoc.org

Amazing Opera Season!

This has been the best opera season yet by UFO. Everything came together so nicely from the singing to the acting to the scenic and costume designs. Just a marvelous experience. What great examples for participating students and teachers!

Our little operas may not be as fancy, but as long as we are committed to the process and to excellence, and as long as we help our kids do their best, we can be just as magnificent!

Thank you Michael for such a wonderful program!

-dr. Dave

Reading and Vocabulary PLUS ....

As the children are working on the opera - at any phase - allow them to have a copy of the libretto of their own to hold and to read. The challenge of reading their "own" words will increase their vocabulary, their reading and their spelling (be sure you have spelled everything correctly :) , and you will find that the synergism between music and reading is amazing!

If your budget is limited, find a generous donor to "sponsor" your class opera to the amount of $100.00 to cover photocopies and cd's for the class.

At the very least, write the words on butcher paper, poster board, or project them on the board for them to read. Even very early readers will begin to recognize words that they themselves have cleverly inserted into the opera libretto.

PLUS ... next year try writing an opera in your classroom that supports another core objective. For instance, if you are studying local history, use that as a jumping off point for the opera. In Utah, Mountain Men and Native Americans are a great story beginning. Older children may be studying Eastern Civilizations ... They may do research into Japanese culture and music and write their opera based around that research. Use YOUR imagination and then allow the children to use THEIRS. Use the opera as tool to teach, not as an extra curricular activity, and you will have support from parents and administrators alike.

Merry Christmas!
Susan


Susan Ames
Education Director, Utah Festival Opera
www.operabychildren.org
ames@ufoc.org

Life Skills Connections

District personnel, state legislators, grantors and others are very interested and need to know that Opera by Children is not just a fun thing to do. It is not a waste of precious school time.

It is very easy and very important for every teacher and mentor to continually refer to the Life Skills core objectives while engaged in any phase of the opera.


Refer to the Life Skills Core frequently and remind the children of what they have learned about all of those objectives while working on their opera. That core for Utah may be found at: http://www.schools.utah.gov/curr/lifeskills/index.htm

The Opera by Children Life Skills "Manifesto" is as follows:

Lifelong Learning:
The basic philosophy of Opera by Children encourages students to initiate and control their learning.

Complex Thinking:
Complex thinking is required during the opera creation process. It is a new situation for most students to create a piece of work as a group.

Effective Communication:
Opera by Children utilizes the following methods and varieties of mediums of art for communication; e.g., reading, writing, speaking, listening, painting, singing, playing instruments, dancing, and dramatizing, during the year long process. Each student learns to use these and become an effective communicator while successfully interacting with classmates within their structure.

Collaboration:
Collaboration is what drives Opera by Children. The three opera rules work effectively for students to understand and identify the need to listen and allow everyone to contribute to achieve the desired results.

Responsible Citizenship:
Opera by Children builds a classroom community producing responsible student-citizens who participate in the opera process to promote personal and public good. This real application of the skills necessary to build community translates into real citizens in the world community. Major decisions are made by private ballot vote. Majority rules!

Employability:
The Opera by Children program provides many opportunities for students to identify strengths within themselves which provide a greater base of knowledge to make decisions in career and future employment.





Susan Ames
Education Director, Utah Festival Opera
www.operabychildren.org
ames@ufoc.org

Opera by Children TIMELINE in the classroom

Here are the basic steps all teacher do to have a successful opera:

1- The teacher determines what type of opera the class should create, i.e. completely original from new ideas, original: based on folktale and fairytale stories, or based on a core curriculum such as history, science, or math. (The first year a UTAH teacher will receive assistance from a UFO drama Mentor—so, communicate the desired topic of the opera to the Mentor BEFORE he or she visits your classroom.)

2- The teacher introduces opera to the group—all the terminology, shows the Opera Highlights DVD, and begins singing and acting with the class. Utilize the suggested activities included in the OBC Teacher Manual.

3- Begin the story writing process and facilitate the class creating their five sentence story. A Drama Mentor comes (IF YOU ARE A UTAH TEACHER; first year in OBC) and helps the group begin their five sentence story.

4- The teacher continues to work with the class until the story is complete.

5- The Drama Mentor returns (IF YOU ARE A UTAH TEACHER; first year in OBC) and assists the class in changing the story into a libretto (words the characters will sing and act out). Otherwise the classroom teacher facilitates this process of changing the third person story into a first person libretto.

6- The teacher continues working with the class until the libretto is complete.

7- The Music Mentor assists the class in creating melodies for their libretto.

8- You assist your class in creating designs for the scenery and for costume.

9- The Art Mentor comes (IF YOU ARE A UTAH TEACHER; first year in OBC) and retrieves ideas for their opera scenery and helps create a plan for art day.

10- You gather all the materials required for a successful art day.

11- The Art Mentor comes and assists you and all your parent helpers with a great Art day (IF YOU ARE A UTAH TEACHER; first year in OBC). The teacher will be the facilitator of the art day.

12- Music Mentor returns the music. Select a date for the performance and email Nellie Horrocks nellieg@ufoc.org to be placed on our master calendar and give Nellie a count of how many studnets are in your class so she can send program covers.

13- You assist your class in learning the opera.

14- You assist your class in holding auditions—group casts the opera.

15- Drama Mentor comes (IF YOU ARE A UTAH TEACHER; first year in OBC) and helps your group stage their opera.

16- You help them to continue staging the opera.

17- Drama Mentor (IF YOU ARE A UTAH TEACHER; first year in OBC) comes back and helps with staging again.

18- You continue to practice the opera.

19- Drama Mentor (IF YOU ARE A UTAH TEACHER; first year in OBC) comes back for a dress rehearsal to help with any final adjustments they may need.

20- You put together a performance evening and your class performs. Please, remember to invite the Utah Festival Opera Company and all the Opera by Children mentors that have assisted your class!!! Bravo!

If you are a returning teacher or a teacher outside of UTAH you are not left alone. You may not have classroom assistance for the drama and art visits but you do have access to our help.

You may email Pamela Gee all through the story and libretto creation process with your work and with questions about the work. Email: pamgee@ufoc.org

If you have questions and need help with art email Marlyn McKinley.
Email: McKinley131@comcast.net

If you have music questions email Susan Ames.
Email:ames@ufoc.org

You may post a question on this website and we will respond and hopefully other teachers will too! They have great ideas that are classroom tested!

Also, visit the operabychildren.blogspot.com frequently for information and advice from teachers and mentors working in the Opera by Children program another teacher just may have already asked the very question that you have.

Teaching Children to "Sing the Story"

This came today from a music mentor. Her inspired idea of how to teach children to sing tunes for the stories they have written was truly remarkable. It could be used by every teacher of young children before their music mentor arrives to help prepare the class for creating melodies of their own.

Dear Susan, I had such a neat experience this week as I started doing my Music Visits! I was walking into Cindy S's class, precious, very small people, when a great idea suddenly came to me. In the youngest classes, I have felt like they didn't really understand exactly how they will sing their opera. I suddenly realized that K-2 usually have several "Big Books" in their classroom, which they read aloud together. After they had sung for me, (recorded, of course), listened to their singing, heard about composers with a few music examples, done a call & response song, and talked about what an opera is, I asked to borrow a Big Book. We clapped & read aloud together for several pages, then I asked who could sing the first page. They sang several pages & were just tickled pink! I always suggest that, since they are an "Opera Class," they should have days where they sing instead of speak, and I have them sing something like, "Miss Kuhn, may I please get a drink? etc. etc. They always get a kick out of that, but of course our teachers are on board & start singing answers right away, so they seem to really like it. This Big Book idea, though . . . I'm not smart enough to figure that out on my own, but I have used it in every class I have visited this year, and I feel like it's making a difference in their understanding. Now they have sung a book, so they know how to sing their libretto. You know we get LOTS of help as we do this work, and i just wanted to share my most recent guidance. God loves the children in Weber & Davis Counties! 'Night, Dana

Susan Ames
Education Director, Utah Festival Opera
www.operabychildren.org
ames@ufoc.org

Improving Language Skills

Have you ever thought of how many ways there are to help children improve their language skills while writing the opera? For instance, you might have them help you to make a list of words that would be inventive and irresistable that they could use in place of so many common and over-used slang terms. Here is an example. Pamela Gee has compiled 101 words that could be used in place of "cool." They are brilliant, and here they are:

Words to use in place of "Cool"
Amazing Amusing Appealing Artistic Astonishing Astounding
Awe-inspiring Awesome Best Bravura Breathtaking Bright
Brilliant Clever Comical Compelling Creative Dazzling Distinctive
Dramatic Dynamic Effective Efficient Engaging Enjoyable
Entertaining Excellent Exceptional Expert Extraordinary
Fabulous Fantastic Fine Forceful Fresh Grand Great Gripping
Helpful Hilarious Imaginative Important Impressive Influential
Ingenious Innovative Inspired Inspiring Intelligent Intense
Interesting Inventive Irresistible Knowledgeable Lively
Magnificent Marvelous Mesmerizing Motivating
Moving New Notable Original Outstanding Overpowering
Persuasive Poignant Powerful Professional Quick-witted
Remarkable Resourceful Sharp Significant Smart
Spectacular Splendid Startling Stimulating Striking
Strong Stunning Stupendous Superb Superlative Supportive
Tempting Terrific Tremendous Unexpected Unique
Unpredictable Unusual Useful Valuable Vast Vibrant Vital
Vivid Witty Wonderful

Challenge your students to improve their verbal expertise. Remember Opera is the "High Art" and ought to embrace many noble goals. Besides, it could be fun (entertaining, pleasurable, enjoyable, amusing and cool.)

Susan Ames
Education Director, Utah Festival Opera
www.operabychildren.org
ames@ufoc.org

We Have Costumes

We have costumes in our basement that have been gathered, purchased, or donated for Opera by Children. You must make an appointment with the education department for the use of these costumes, not the opera company's costume department. Their costumes are for Utah Festival Opera's main stage performances only.

But, we, the Opera by Children Education Department have a bit of everything that may be used as whatever you imagine it to be, and we love to have teachers schedule an hour when they can visit our basement where these costume reside.

We can only dedicate one hour for your class for this project. If you are close by, you could make it a field trip and have your students look these costumes over. Or you might like to come with a list and pictures the students have drawn of what they desire to look like in costume.

We are happy to assist you, but you must make an appointment.

We are all traveling about to schools and are not always working from the office. We may be working by internet from our computer at home or in a car, so it is important to have an appointment and not just drop in.

The Utah Festival Opera administrative staff cannot assist you with our costumes as they are NOT the same as the costume department for the opera company.

For an appointment contact Nellie Horrocks nellieg@ufoc.org or Pamela Gee pamgee@ufoc.org or Susan Ames ames@ufoc.org

For more helps check here: http://operabychildren.org/training/manual/10%20Sets,%20props,%20costumes.pdf

Supertitles

Here is a nice Wikipedia definition of Surtitles:

Surtitles, also known as supertitles, are translated or transcribed lyrics projected above a stage or displayed on a screen, commonly used in opera or other musical performances...
Surtitles are used either to translate the meaning of the lyrics into the audience's language, or to transcribe lyrics that may be difficult to understand in the sung form. The two possible types of presentation of surtitles are as projected text, or as the electronic libretto system. Titles in the theatre have proven a commercial success in areas such as opera, and are finding increased use for allowing hearing impaired patrons to enjoy theatre productions more fully. Surtitles are used in live productions in the same way as subtitles are used in movie and television productions
Supertitles are used in live professional productions when the performances are in a foreign language. An English translation of the words is projected above the stage

For the benefit of audiences of Opera by Children, we will provide for all teachers whose music we have arranged, a Power Point Slide Presentation with the surtitles/supertitles for your opera.

If you want more information about how they will be done, please contact Nellie Horrocks nellieg@ufoc.org


Susan Ames
Education Director, Utah Festival Opera
www.operabychildren.org
ames@ufoc.org

Making Plans for Art Day

Hello Teachers,

My name is MarLyn McKinley. I am your Visual Arts Mentor.

If I have been assigned to come to your class this year, we will start with a first visit - the objective of which will be to plan your scenery, make assignments for paint day, and talk about supplies. I will need approximately 45 minutes to discuss all of this with you and your class.

It would be helpful for each of you teachers to be gathering your cardboard. Most generally you will need something equivalent to two refrigerator/freezer boxes. Other pieces may be needed for caves, time machines, etc. On occasion a third refrigerator box is needed if your story takes place equally in thee different places. For Example: ocean, outerspace or forest.

Anything to do with the actual paint day we will establish and talk about on this first visit. The only other visit I make is the actual Paint Day. I am involved with your class two days only.

You may e-mail me at any time to ask questions. We can accomplish a lot in this way.

For you teachers that are doing art on your own, remember these three things:

1. Organization and planning are key to a successful paint day. (Review the art section in your manuals or online at http://operabychildren.org/training/manual.html)

2. Get plenty of help for paint day - no less than 3, but preferably 5 or more adults. (Parents, relatives, neighbors or anybody willing and able.) Assign each helper an area to watch over.

3. Don’t stress. Let go, and let the kids do their thing with a little guidance. We are not trying to achieve perfection in an adult's eyes. The perfection is in seeing what the children can do and the joy in their eyes when it is approved and celebrated.

MarLyn McKinley
mckinley131@comcast.net

Kindergarten Blessings

Susan,

I want to share with you a brief window of our class today.

I have a student who is displaying what the social worker calls "trauma play". Her mother is in rehab and her father, recently released from jail, is doing his best to put a life together for this girl and her two siblings. She is clearly intelligent, but due to the things she has witnessed and experienced, her language is delayed and she struggles for words to articulate her needs and ideas.

I brought out a tape recorder today to use while we worked on our libretto. The children were delighted with this wonder of technology! I gave them many opportunities to sing given lines from their libretto into the recorder. This little angel girl wanted to try, but she was very reluctant. I waited and prompted and encouraged her to give it a go. She finally did.

When I replayed their sounds back to the class, they were all thrilled! They recognized their own as well as their classmates' voices. When my little one that I'm describing heard her voice she was jarred by the sound of it. I smiled at her and said, "Good work, Samara! You really did it!"

She sat there on the carpet, the wonder and delight of the experience slowly warming and spreading across her whole body. She kept stealing glances at me and I nodded my head at her and winked and told her again, "You did good work, Samara. I am so proud of you!"

Her countenance softened and she seemed to breathe deeper. It was the most beautiful thing!

Someone not long ago asked me, "So are you doing the opera again?" When I said yes, she said, "Wow! That's a tough thing with kindergarten! Are you sure?"

I agreed. Yes, it is challenging. But I know what the opera experience provides and makes possible. To do less than that, when I know better, would be worse than malpractice. It would be a sin.

Thank you. Who you are makes a difference for children. I am honored by our association and appreciate the blessing of participating in this program.

Alison Wuthrich
Lakeview Elementary
Brigham City, Utah

Performance Dates and Program Covers

When you know your performance date, please be certain to send that information to us so that Nellie may have your program covers to you on time! Also, if you would like to have it listed here or on our Opera by Children website - http://www.operabychildren.org/ let us know. We will create a calendar so that people interested in observing an actual children's opera may attend!

Susan Ames
Education Director, Utah Festival Opera
59 South 100 West Logan, Utah 84321

Music, Drama and Visual Arts Mentors

If you are new to the program this year (and are in the state of Utah), you have been assigned a drama, music AND visual arts mentor. If you are not clear who they are, please e-mail me. You should have been contacted and be well on your way with the story at this point.

If this is your 2nd or 3rd year, you will definitely have a music mentor and you MAY have drama and visual arts, depending upon whether you have requested that assistance. If you are not sure about who is visiting and helping with your class, please ask me. I have it all, and you need to know.

If you have been in the program for awhile and are only using a music mentor, but run into trouble with the story or art, let us know. We can help you.

Susan Ames
Education Director, Utah Festival Opera
www.operabychildren.org
ames@ufoc.org

435 750-0300 Ext 118

State Office and University Credit

Don't forget to sign up for either University OR Utah State Office of Education credit for the opera you are writing this year.

You may earn Two Workshop credits that will help you towards lane change!

E-mail me for clarification.

Susan Ames
Education Director, Utah Festival Opera
www.operabychildren.org
ames@ufoc.org

Costume Fun

A word to the wise! Right now is an excellent time for your students to be planning their costumes, because as you know, they are everywhere. And I don't mean the pre-packaged ones. I learned a few years ago that the local thrift stores will set lots of interesting items back and bring them out before Halloween as "costume pieces." And since they are already sort of "on sale" they don't get any less expensive after Halloween.

Try to spark the students' imaginations by having them figure out how they could outfit the characters in their stories with sweat pants and shirts and flashy accessories, such as scarves, head bands, hats, gloves, and SOCKS. Socks on hands and feet make cool animal paws, by the way.

Enlist their help! Engage them in keeping their eyes open for anything they think might fit anybody, or could be used somewhere in their opera that is a great bargain. They may not have completed their story and surely not the music, but they should have a pretty good idea of where it is going, so these items ought to be something that could be used by anyone in the class.

You could start a class scavenger hunt. Have them make a list of all the things that might be needed in their opera. For instance, if they are writing about settling the West, they could list hats, scarves, aprons, boots, tails (for horses, cows) orange socks (for chicken feet), mountain man-type jackets, long dresses...etc. I imagine you will be delighted, and so will they, with how many things they can find for little if no expense. Sometimes the best thrift store is Grandma's closet. Most of my clothes fall into that category and I just can't part with them, but would be glad to loan them out ... Grandpa, too. :)

I KNOW this will be easier right now than starting November 1st. This is how we started our children's costume supply 12 years ago, and it was very fun. We began with all the dark sweat pants and shirts we could find at the thrift store and then let our imaginations run wild. It was fun for me, as I had never thought of myself as an imaginative person before. Turns out, I am not so bad. Neither are you! And truly, neither are the creative whizzes in your classes!

If you have ideas some ideas that have worked for you, add a comment here and share.

Have fun! :)


Susan Ames
Education Director, Utah Festival Opera
www.operabychildren.org