Metropolitan Opera launches Met Opera Global Summer Camp

Free online programming to engage and support students worldwide 

June 15 – August 7

New York, NY (May 27, 2020)—On June 15, the Metropolitan Opera will launch the Met Opera Global Summer Camp, a new educational initiative to engage and support students worldwide. The free, eight-week online summer camp, from June 15 to August 7, will include a featured opera each week from the Met’s extensive digital library of performances; hands-on creative projects; instruction from core educators and teaching artists; and opportunities to speak directly with Met artists. 

The Met Opera Global Summer Camp will take place five days a week and consist of programming for two age groups: 3rd – 6th grades and 7th – 12th grades. Each day, core educators or teaching artists will lead students in a hands-on activity, such as puppet-making and songwriting, to enhance students’ understanding of that week’s featured opera. First, the educator will present the activity live on Zoom. Then, to accommodate the global reach of the program, a recording will be uploaded to Google Classroom for students to engage with the activity at any time.

“At a time when students’ usual summer activities are being significantly curtailed, we’re happy to be providing them with some operatic fun and education,” said Met General Manager Peter Gelb. “The response to our Free Student Streams over the past few months has been tremendous. Opera summer camp is a natural extension.”

The featured operas are Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel (English-language version, June 15-19); Donizetti’s Don Pasquale (June 22-26); Dvořák’s Rusalka (June 29-July 3); Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette (July 6-10); Mozart’s The Magic Flute (English-language version, July 13-17); Lehár’s The Merry Widow (English-language version, July 20-24); Donizetti’s La Fille du Régiment (July 27-31); and Mozart’s Così fan tutte (August 3-7).

The weekly schedule for the Met Opera Global Summer Camp includes:

Monday – Get to Know Opera

A core teacher will present the week’s featured opera and introduce students to the main activities.

Core teachers, from the Met’s HD Live in Schools network, include Timothy Brendler (Fort Worth, TX); Stephanie Hendrix (Bangor, ME); Stephanie Holmes (Oakland, CA); Kara Johnson (Columbia, MO); Beth Poquette Drews (Dallas, TX); Dan Rubins (New York, NY); and Emily Saenz (Fort Worth, TX).

Tuesday – Hands-On Project

A core teacher, in collaboration with a teaching artist, will introduce a hands-on creative project. Utilizing materials found around the home, these projects will invite students to dive into the opera’s story while expressing their own creative ideas and interests.

Teaching artists include Goussy Célestin (performer and Circle Songs educator); Emerald Trinket Monsod Walker (performance artist); Kayla Prestel (puppeteer); and Joel Waggoner (actor).

Wednesday – Artist Chat

Students will have the opportunity to speak with Met artists and creative teams about the week’s featured opera via Zoom. These conversations will enhance students’ understanding and engagement with the opera.

Thursday – Career Corner and Opera Story Time

Students will explore different careers in the performing arts through small sessions with Met employees from a variety of departments and fields via Zoom.

Separately, students can log on to hear a great opera singer read a picture book inspired by opera, music, or the performing arts more generally. Artists who will read during Opera Story Time include Angel Blue, Christine Goerke, Isabel Leonard, Latonia Moore, and Anthony Roth Costanzo.

Friday – Camper Showcase

Students will be invited to share examples of their work from the week, and the core teacher will lead a follow-up discussion.

Wednesday-Friday – Opera Stream

            Each week’s featured opera will be available to stream from Wednesday at 5:00 pm EDT to Friday at 5:00 pm EDT.

            To encourage consistent participation, students will receive a digital badge for each completed week of programming.

            The Met Opera Global Summer Camp builds on the success of the Met’s Free Student Streams. Designed to support students, teachers, and families learning and working remotely during the ongoing Covid-19 crisis, the Free Student Streams launched on April 3. To date, the educational programming for the Free Student Streams has reached nearly 35,000 students and teachers from more than 30 countries and all 50 states in the program’s live online discussions via Facebook and Zoom. The opera streams have received 47,264 views.

For more information, go to metopera.org/GlobalSummerCamp.