Professional Development
As part of Access Opera, teachers may participate in one or more complementary professional development workshops that offer strategies for connecting elements of opera (music, theatre, movement, visual design) with other subject areas. These sessions are designed to interest both the seasoned opera lover and the teacher new to opera. Offerings vary each season.
OPERA 101 WITH MET OPERA EDUCATION
Thursday, November 7, 2024, 6:30-8PM
Casita Maria, 928 Simpson Street, 6th Floor, Bronx, NY 10459
Led by Met teaching artists Brandon Anderson and Diana Schwam, this session is the perfect opportunity to ask all the questions you might have about the operatic art form. Learn opera’s broader musical and cultural history, help demystify the genre, and gear up for your upcoming trip to the Met! This session is great for both newcomers and those looking for a stronger foundation in this incredible art form.
THE MAGICAL EFFECTS OF PUPPETRY AND FOLEY
Thursday, November 21, 2024, 4-7PM
Metropolitan Opera House, 30 Lincoln Center Plaza, NY, NY 10023
This hands-on workshop will give teachers two exciting new ways to interact with opera: puppetry and Foley art (i.e., sound effects)! Teaching artist Jamie Lowenstein will introduce the main concepts of Bunraku-style puppetry, and participants will learn how to make their own puppets in the classroom. Teaching artist Gina Hanzlik will share tips and tools for creating easy sound effects through the art of Foley. This workshop is perfect for teachers who plan to attend either The Magic Flute or Die Zauberflöte this season and want to learn about the effects used in current Met productions.
ALL ABOUT THE MET CHILDREN’S CHORUS
Monday, November 25, 2024, 6PM
Hosted on Zoom
Met Children’s Chorus Director Anthony Piccolo and young performers from the Met Children’s Chorus meet with members of the Met's Education team to discuss the ins and outs of being a young performer at the Met. Learn about the audition and rehearsal process, participate in a live Q&A, and hear a preview of music from The Magic Flute performed by Children’s Chorus soloists.
PANTS ROLES, HIJINX, AND DISGUISES IN MOZART AND ROSSINI
Tuesday, February 25, 2025, 5:30-7PM
P.S. 134X George F. Bristow, 1330 Bristow Street, Bronx, NY 10459
This spring, more than 50 Access Opera schools will attend the popular comedic operas based on Beaumarchais’s Figaro trilogy. Participants in this workshop will learn all about the schemes and romantic entanglements in Rossini’s Il Barbiere di Siviglia (Barber of Seville) and Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro), focusing on how each composer combines social critique, physical comedy, and virtuosic vocal writing to portray a variety of emotions—from longing and adoration to madcap frenzy. This session is a great primer for teachers looking to introduce these popular operas to their students prior to visiting the Met.
OPERATIC MAGIC AT THE MET
Wednesday, March 5, 2025, 1:30-4:30PM
Metropolitan Opera House, 30 Lincoln Center Plaza, NY, NY 10023
Witnessing the spectacle of grand opera at the Met is truly an incredible experience, but it is only part of the story. Learn all about the what happens in the days, weeks, months and even years leading up to an opera production taking the stage. Then, embark on a backstage tour of the world’s largest performing arts organization. Space is limited for this perennial favorite workshop; preference will be given to teachers who have not previously participated.
Optional performance: La Bohème (7:30PM)