#33 Opera & Musicals (2024)

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers----Sound of Music ----West Side Story----Musicals - Resources

Note: for memorizing lines, see Junior High/Middle School Music;
For repetoire see Elementary Repetoire and Junior High/Middle School Music/Repetoire
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BOOKS

06/07 BRAVO! BRAVA! A NIGHT AT THE OPERA by Anne Siberell (Oxford Univ. Press) It shows that even though 4 or 5 people may do most of the singing, it takes many other people to put on an opera - directors, musicians, stagehands, designers, etc. I love the beautifully illustrated pages that ask: "Where can you see a play, maybe watch a ballet, and hear beautiful singing accompanied by a big orchestra, all at the same time? I highly recommend this book for lessons on opera. -- Estelle Pace
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02/04 OPERA FUNTIME WORKBOOKS (written for about 18 operas) Pages about the plot, pictures of characters, quotes, puzzles; written for the Florida Grand Opera; cost is $4.00 per book + shipping; 1-800-741-1010, c/o Florida Grand Opera Inc., 1200 Coral Way, Miami FL 33145-2980, http://ypo-miami.org/lesson-plans/

The Opera Funtime books are each a different opera. Its a workbook type. Its a coloring book, shows the scenery used, some have cut out characters. Cross words and word find. It also includes language arts activities and gives the background on the composer and librettist. The story is told in rhyme. There's a world of things you can do with them. For instance I have done an Italian boat song, give a listening example of the Barcarolle, talk about Venice and gondolas and then I've read to them the story from the Opera Funtime (Tales of Hoffmann). Give them an activity from the book (this is when I haven't had the entire class set). http://www.ypo-miami.org/Funtime.htm_
Grand Opera. You can find them at the website for Florida Grand Opera:
http://www.fgo.org/info/educ_funtime.htm

The following opera books are available:
Aida, Barber of Seville, Carmen, Cosi fan tutte, Cristoforo Colombo, Die Fledermaus, Faust, Hansel & Gretel Idomeneo, La Boheme, La Cenerentola, Madame Butterfly, Magic Flute, Otello, Pagliacci, Tales of Hoffman Turandot
There are loads of activites for kids to do and the story is told in rhyme. I play excerpts for them. Grades 2-5 have enjoyed them.

Either visit the website or write:
Patricia Mederos, Young Patronesses of the Opera, 7484 S.W. 156 Street, Miami, FL 33157
Phone (305) 969-0220, Fax (305) 969-0260

Every year I go to their workshop here at the Florida Grand Opera. They are fun books, tell the story in rhyme, coloring, characters, plot, crosswords, fill in blanks, cut outs, lots of language arts activities you can make up too.
Each year at the workshop they feature a different opera, music/language arts activities at the workshop,all from these books, singers perform excerpts, food and a class set to take home. We can even sign up for Opera in the Schools. A small group comes out to the schools to perform a 40 minute condensed opera suitable for elementary to high school.
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6/01 GOOD RESOURCE: AMERICAN POPULAR MUSIC in the Music in Motion catalog. I can't remember the author or publisher as it is at school. This would be a good resource for your Rag to Rap unit. It has short one-page articles on many American styles of music with comprehension questions and puzzles after each one. I use this resource as a supplement to the Ragtime to Rap unit in the 6th grade STM series. One other thing that I've done is to use a word web of names and words representing each decade as outline in the text.

Aida; William Tell; Treemonisha; The Magic Flute; The Barber of Seville

"I have found them excellent resources to enhance listening and also for giving the students ideas about how to illustrate what they are listening to. "Each year, my students illustrate the Opera 'Treemonisha' by Scott Joplin. By illustrating the scenes and combining these scenes in the order of the opera, it really internalizes their memory of the music and the story line. They display this cooperative authorship in our Spring Author/Illustrator's Fair that we give to the parents." She offers the bibliographic information on these books at: http://home.earthlink.net/~bluesman1/miscbooks.html
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I'm using MUSIC! WORDS! OPERA! to help guide me. It's opera curriculum in two sets and deals with 6 or 8 different operas and is totally suitable and written for grades K-2 and grades 3-6. I've adapted some of the activities and used with junior high and high school. There are lots of worksheets, listening samples and most importantly opportunities for students to create and "produce" their own opera. The book lists a web site:
“Music, Words, Opera!”: contact:
http://www.operaamerica.org/applications/notes/mwo.aspx
Andrea Johnson, Manager of Education and Adult Learning Programs
(212) 796-8620 x206, --- [emailprotected]
OPERA America, 330 Seventh Avenue, 16th Floor, New York, NY 10001
http://www.operaamerica.org/ It's quite good - there are 2 levels (grades 1-3 and grades 4-6) Each includes 3 operas lessons and listening lessons as well as single booklets with art ideas, worksheets)

www.operaamerica.org Opera Lessons:
Level I (early elementary grades) The operas covered in "Listen & Discover" are: HANSEL AND GRETEL; THE CHILD AND THE ENCHANTMENTS and THE MAGIC FLUTE. There is a Create and Produce teaching unit as well.
The cost is $65 shipping and handling and includes a guided audio cassette.Level II (upper elementary and middle school) The "Listen & Discover" operas covered in this manual are: AIDA, THE BARBER OF SEVILLE, and The cost for this manual is $82.50 shipping and handling.
Levels I and II are available from our publisher, MMB Music, Inc. I am working from my home office today and don't have their phone number here, but I will send it to you when I'm back in the office.
Level III (high school) Contains a comparative analysis of Verdi's OTHELLO and Shakespeare's OTHELLO as well as a "Create and Produce" section. The cost of Level III is $132 (including shipping) and is available from OPERA America.The Teacher Manuals are incredibly comprehensive with detailed lesson plans for each unit of study. We also offer teacher training for MUSIC! WORDS! OPERA!
across the country during the summer months.
Opera America 1-202-293-4466 Ext 206 Andrea Johnson (I think it's out of print but MMB said you could get it here. It's quite good - there are 2 levels (grades 1-3 and grades 4-6) Each includes 3 operas lessons and listening lessons as well as single booklets with art ideas, worksheets)
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I use "WHO'S AFRAID OF OPERA", vignettes put together with Joan Sutherland hosting to teach about opera. You have to do prep work to set the story, but educational.
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OPERA FOR DUMMIES by Pogue and Speck is a delightful resource (as is Classical Music for Dummies). I have done Amahl and The Night Visitors in various ways from kindergarten thru middle school and junior high. With the upper grades I called on a person with drama experience and we'd do a modified version of the opera--singing the arias and chorus parts and speaking all other parts. (I sometimes transposed arias to a lower key.) With the middle grades I let them follow the libretto while we listen-- after preparation so they basically know the story. I sometimes cut out unessential parts. With elementary I tell the story--and choose the choice parts for listening. I have props-- a stuffed parrot, Kaspar's box with magic stones, beads, and licorice. We also sing the easiest arias according the the age group involved. Children love to sing "This Is My Box" and to march with the March of the Kings. (Burger King has always been happy to furnish take home crowns for them--no lice problems!) I usually do this opera in January during Epiphany. It's a great post-Christmas activity.

I use the book OPERA FOR DUMMIES as a resource, as well as Kathleen Krull's THE LIVES OF THE MUSICIANS.Rigoletto? It's one of my favorite films put out by Feature Family Films about a man who is really a fairy prince whose face is disfigured and he can't go back until he finds someone in the world of men who will accept him for who he is. He has a beautiful voice and teaches a young girl how to sing...I'm explaining it badly, but it is a wonderful film, and is nice to show older elementary students.
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THE MAGIC OF MOZART E. Switzer the Salzburg marionettes; photographs of scenes and story of opera
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GENERAL LESSON IDEAS

01/16 07/15 GLOSSARY: http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~tas3/glossary.html#OperaSeria
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07/11 INTRODUCTORY MOVIE: You may find a short movie I created on Backstage at the Opera helpful. It is on my website. Go to: http://www.rdimusic.com then click into movies. It is a ways down the page. ---- PattyO in AR
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FIRST OPERA: I always started my opera unit with this age with Menotti's "The Telephone." It really appealed to their sense of humor and quickly got them away from the notion that opera is "boring and in another language." Then around Christmas time I did "Amahl".....a favourite of mine. ----Judy in Wi.
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INTRODUCTION: I first start with a discussion of the ways that music can tell a story. We touch on program music (all instruments), ballads (lots of verses with words that tell the story), ballet/dance (movement tells the story with music assisting); and then .....
A Play(w/o music) - words tell story
A Play with music - words tell the story and there are some songs in it too,but if you took the songs out, it wouldn't hurt the story
A Musical - play with music; there's so much music that if you took out thesongs, it would mess up the story.
An Operetta - play where nearly all the words are sung
An Opera - play where all the words are sung

I made a flip chart with the ranking words on it and had the kids drag thewords into the proper order, from all words to all music. They really didwell remembering and putting the genres in order made more sense.
I show them the opening dance scene of West Side Story to remind them thatthe movement is telling a story and the song is definitely part of it.Point out that WSS is a "MUSICAL." Emphasize how the movement is PLANNED.It's really a dance. Does it look wimpy? NO!! This activity is intended topoint out that everything on a stage is PLANNED ahead of time and that danceis very muscular and exhausting. Trying to combat the sissy factor here....
Show them the Nutcracker Fight Scene (see hulu.com and/or YouTube) and point out that the music and movement are connected.
Show Modern Major General (Pirates of Penzance) with Kevin Kline and LindaRonstadt. Point out how we find out about the character from the song.(And enjoy the merriment of it...... See? You don't even know the story andyou think part of this operetta is a hoot!)
Tell them upfront that operas are weird cuz people sing everything. ThatHAS to make it weird. However, I continue, if you keep with the story,you'll get used to the weirdness of the singing and you'll get into thestory.
And then I tell them about a kid who gets in trouble for lying ..... andhere's an opera about that. Amahl......
I don't have a video of the Telephone, but it would be a great way to startthings off before you show the whole opera of Amahl.
I really want to provide a context for opera - not just shove all thoseyelling fat loud weird singers at them. ---- Martha Stanley
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SUGGESTIONS FOR WHICH OPERAS TO STUDY

01/07 Opera bios, plots: www.musicwithease.com
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01/07 POWERPOINT: About opera by Patricia Oeste
http://www.musiceducationmadness.com/powerpoints.shtml
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06/06 ELIXER OF LOVE: On of my favorite operas is L'Elisir d'Amore The Elixer of Love. It is a comic opera with a beautiful score. I believe that there is a video of Pavarotti doing it. I have taken several groups of 5th graders to the Met performance of L'Elisir and they loved it. Another favorite is Tosca, which is so dramatic and grand. The kids love it when Tosca jumps off the parapet! I take the entire 5th grade to a Met final dress rehearsal performance every year, and have done so for the last 32 years. As long as you present the story in an interesting way, and get the kids to know some of the music they love it. Ths is one of the highlights of the year for them. have fun! -- Adrienne Werring
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LIBRETTO: Some free librettos here:

http://www.karadar.com/Default.htm
http://libretto.musicals.ru/index.php?language=1
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08/02 Of course, when I introduce the unit, I have them tell me what they think opera is.. and boy, can that be hysterical!!!!!!!!!!!!! If you have some hams.. be prepared!!! It's adorable!

This also works great with older kids. I always start an opera unit with "Tell me everything you know about opera." And I write everything they say on the board. You can predict:
They scream.
They sing really high.
They sing really loud.
They wear funny clothes.They sing in foreign languages.
And of course, on the extremely rare occasion when they DON'T mention large women with horned helmets, you can say, "Come on, people, you're not trying hard enough!"
There is such a ton of laughter mixed in with this discussion, and it offers so many teachable opportunities to springboard off their observations:Yes, they do often sing loud. Opportunity to talk about big voices needed to fill a hall before electronic amplification. Also to talk about vocal focus.
Yes, they sing high. Also low. Chance to discuss soprano, alto, tenor, bass.
Yes, they wear costumes. After all, these are stories. (Some of them deliciously grisly!)
Yes, many operas were originally written in Italian, German, French. Some in English - Amahl, of course, and Menotti's other gems. Chance to talk about the wonders of sub- and surtitles.

We wrap up by realizing that they know a lot more about opera than they thought they knew. And we've gotten the "It ain't over till the fat lady sings" stuff out of our systems. These classes are some of my very favorites - and most successful.08/02 There is a quiz in one of the issues of MK8 that connects opera to football. It's amazing what all the similarities are. I think it's in 10/1 of MK8 (Plank Rd. Publishing) issues.
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6/01 CARMEN: Definitely do this one. It's terrific. Would eighth graders be too old forHansel & Gretel? One year I did the opera Hansel and Gretel with my thirdgraders, then the HIGH SCHOOL German class came and performed a play of it(not the opera) for them, IN GERMAN! Perhaps your older kids would do a kidsopera like that if they could go to an elem. school and share it. Just anidea.

CARMEN: I would be careful with Carmen, unless you are just diluting the story (which I have definitely done) or showing exerpts (also a possibility). The pros to Carmen are that it is colorful and pretty well-known. But, it does have some unsavory action, too. But then again, if that were the basis for choosing an opera to study, you might find very, very few to pick from!

My 8th always loved Carmen---lots of romance and violence that really appealed to that age!! -- Contributed by David Figi
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04/02 HANSEL & GRETEL: I always finish the year with a mini unit on opera. I teach "Hansel and Gretel" and then show a puppet version of the opera. I spend about the entire last 9 weeks focusing on it.
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6/01 AMAHL: Definitely Menotti's "Amahl and the Night Visitors", which can show kidsthat operas are still being written today, even by people who are STILLALIVE! and can feature children. There is a wealth of supplemental materialavailable, some even by people on this list.
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GENERAL LESSON IDEAS

07/05 CREATE YOUR OWN: I know this is really for younger students, but you could give them ideas by having them watch the Sesame Street operas on http://www.sesameworkshop.com/sesamestreet/music/zone/opera/
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06/04 UNIT: Here is an opera idea I tried last year which worked nicely. It was done in 3 stages.
The first stage was showing an edited (DVD technology a must for this project) version of Carmen the HipHopera. We discussed the themes, the main characters, the style of the music and how the music was utilized.
The next step was showing Carmen Jones. We compared and contrasted it to the Hiphopera.
Final step, picking 3 or 4 important scenes from the Metropolitan Opera Company version of Carmen by Bizet. The students really enjoyed it because they were familiar with the musical and dramatic themes, and they were amazed that performers could sing for that long without stopping.
The philosophy behind this approach is nothing new, I wanted the kids to get to know opera, so I went through a point of understanding that they could easily master and slowly guided them to where I thought they should be to fully understand and appreciate the art form.-- Contributed by Dan Leopold
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04/03 Why not raise the bar a bit. The plot lines and music, if represented with humor and clever supplies would introduce the kids to something most of them know absolutely nothing about. I use the Opera Funtime books. We act out the short scene, we learn about the crazy plot lines. There is always a love scene, or a fight scene. And they are introduced to some of the most fascinating arias. I also introduce different singers on the same Aria so they can hear the different quality of voices. Boy do they like to criticize. I just finished La Boheme. They prefer Pavarotti to Carreras!! http://www.ypo-miami.org/Funtime.htm_
Why not opera?! -- Contributed by Jeanne Nahan
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06/01 OPERATUNITIES (Unit) I've done an opera unit in years past and the students have actually enjoyed it. I called the unit OPERATUNITIES. I saw that title somewhere . . don't remember where. We primarily studied La Boheme'. We listened to the music in class and discuss the emotions of each song, instrumentation, etc. We also designed costumes and scenery. It was great fun to see what they could come up with. I am sure there are some great internet sites that you could explore also . . . I don't know of any off hand. How about the Magic Flute by Mozart. It is also great fun. I did find that by having the students designing costumes/scenery that they took more ownership in the study of opera. Our local opera company was performing La Boheme one year and we were able to have some of the cast come and sing for them. It is so impressive to have a live performance. Those big voices are impressive and they should be heard . . . and appreciated.
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YOU ARE A SCREENWIRTER: for the "Oprah Winfrey Show". You have been asked to seek out new guests for the show and provide Oprah with some "inside information" about new guests for the show. You also help Oprah by giving her a list of questions that will keep her on track. Space is then provided for questions for the guest to ask Oprah. Space is also provided for "facts which you learned about Beethoven," with a suggestion for "has a bad temper with housekeepers and waiters." This idea could be a basis for cooperative learning. Recorder I lists inside information for the group, Recorder II lists five questions for the group, Spokesperson I reports inside information to the class, and Spokesperson II reports questions for Oprah to the class.

CREATE A SKIT FOR UNSOLVED MYSTERIES: about the mysterious events that surrounded Mozart's death.

YOU ARE A GRAPHIC DESIGNER: You have just signed a contract with Beethoven's record company to design a hot new CD cover for his new CD. This is your big break! Design Beethoven a flashy CD cover that will boost his CD sales! List ten of his greatest hits on the back jacket cover of the CD.

J.S. BACH HAS TAKEN AN EXTRA POSITION: (He needs the money to feed his 20 kids!) He has just agreed to endorse your product. You have invented a new type of organ. This organ can be ______ [it's your organ, you decide]. Present a 30-second commercial presenting your new organ to the world. Use the tune to one of your favorite songs to write a song about Handel. Rewrite the song with your own words. It can be a story about his life, or something unusual about him. This could also be done as a rap.

DUKE ELLINGTON: Write a 60-second narration for a movie about Duke Ellington's life. It will be previewed at our local theatre for those going to see the newest movie release.

FAVORITE MUSICAL GROUP: Choose one of your favorite musicians or musical groups. Present this person or group to the class. Play some of their music. Tell us any inside information you know. Tell us what style of music is their specialty. Tell us why you like this person or group.

YOUARE A MAGAZINE REPORTER: The Beatles have just come to America! Write a magazine article about the British invasion. Imagine that you personally interviewed the Beatles. Imagine how they would have answered your questions.---------------------------
I don't think it is necessary to teach opera/choral music at the primary level, but if I were to teach any choral music, I would focus on the children's choral music at the primary level, I would focus on particular sections of operas such as the 3 boys in THE MAGIC FLUTE or the street urchins in CARMEN (although it is a much heavier sound than I want children to use at that young age.) Portions of HANSEL AND GRETEL would be appropriate for primary grades like "14 Angels" or "Brother, Come and Dance with me," or the Finale of Act II when the gingerbread children become real children again starting where Gretel touches them to become real.
The Metropolitan Opera has produced some very nice Opera-in-a-Box for use with school children. These include a filmstrip with sound and pictures from operas such as Barber of Seville, Hansel and Gretel, Carmen and a couple of others. An activity booklet includes piano/vocal songs from the opera with permission to copy for use with your students. I use the HANSEL AND GRETEL one every 5 years or so.
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6/01 I have taught Prince Igor and La Traviata - the kids liked the romantic content. These were high school kids - and one very tough guy had tears in his eyes when Violetta died.
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I did a couple of years back the Mikado full stage production, part of a major grant I co-wrote with the art teacher.
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6/01 I have done several:Rigoletto (with certain things left out), A Midsummer Night's Dream (which we acted out from exerpts), Magic Flute (one of my personal favorites - they love the fantasy quality), La Boheme (another one that touched their hearts, also we were doing that piece concurrently here and many of the kids were in it, so they came and sang for the other classes), I Pagliacci (again a watered down version), Andrea Chenier (the tie-in to history was interesting and some of the kids were in the staged version here), Tosca (careful there, too - but they love the story of the Tosca who jumped from the tower at the end, but the stage hand was a substitute and didn't know how to catch her properly, so back up she flew....), Barber of Seville, and Turandot (they loved the riddle part) to name just a few! I have also done little "enrichment days" at other schools re: opera.

I teach a different opera every year because I find that most of them fit in - in a variety of ways. Each one has something different to show. Each one has a "spin".

When I cover an opera, we usually talk about:
1. Historical setting.
2. Composer
.3. Librettist/Plot.
4. Characters/Voice types.
5. Style of music. (This can vary from secco recitative as in Barber of Seville to grand opera as in Andrea Chenier.)
6. Set/Costumes/Make-up. At this point, I will usually take someone from the class (boy and girl) and make them up as on the real live stage. They are ever so attentive. They get the fake eyelashes and everything!
7. Learn something from the music. I try to teach them an exerpt (usually in English). Of course, I make it more kid accessible (vocally)!
8. Watch an exerpt (if I can find one) or act it out in pantomime, or just plain listen (while I usually translate).
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Check the lesson on "Gianni Schicchi" in Share the Music 6. It includes a script in the Resource Master book so the kids can say the lines between the excerpts included in the lesson, then act out (or jsut listen to) the musical examples.

BOOK: -"A Met's Fan at the Met" and for young students the book "Pet of the Met"
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LESSON: This lesson will work with any grade above 5th. Basically you need music of many operas from past and present rock operas. I start off by having the students brain storm on what makes an opera. You always get the screechy voices and fat ladies in the group.
Then you come up with a complete definition using their responses. Give the students a piece of paper where they can write this down the definition and take a listening test. I give the students a 10 point quiz on which songs are from operas and which are not. I use only opera music so that a correct response would always be yes. After the test we exchanged papers and found that most did not get them right. (in fact almost always everyone gets some wrong.)
Then we go back and look at our definition. We then modify it to fit all the example that we given. We come up with the fact that as long as the song has a story line and is music, it is opera. Then the students take another test with this new found knowledge. I always slip in one piece that starts off with talking. If you use some live performance stuff, there should be some talking in it. With this lesson, you are starting to dispel the myth that all operas sound high and screechy.
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INTRODUCE: To introduce opera to 5th graders I choose several well known melodies from operas that are used in other non opera ways such as the wedding march, toreador song from Bad News Bears, any commercials that might be using operatic music or style. Then I tell them these songs are from an opera. I then give them a list of operatic terms ( I can look these up if you are interested) and talk about how exciting an opera can be with dancing, singing, costumes,etc.
Next we study an opera such as " The Telephone" ( They relate to the theme and also the mime) or The Magic Flute ( I use the cartoon version and then the "real thing") This pretty much keeps a positive spin on this style of music. In 6th grade we review with Amahl and the Night Visitors.
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Opera terms: In seventh grade general music, I taught a 4-week opera unit. To kick off the unit, I passed out sheets with opera terms like "basso buffo," "claque," and "diva." I then put them in groups of about four. I told them that these were all terms having to do with opera. The goal was not to guess what they meant, as probably no one knew, but to write a believable, creative definition that would trick their classmates into thinking it was correct. (Like the board game Balderdash.)
I would have to really encourage them to be very specific: don't put, "A musical instrument" but describe what it looks like, what it sounds like, who plays it, when, and why. Some of them turned out quite good! That afternoon I would type up a multiple choice "quiz" with the correct answer as well as the best made-up answers. They would complete the quiz as they came in the next day, then we would go over it. I would read each choice and have people raise their hands if they picked that one. That way, the kids got a kick out of seeing who picked their definition.

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AIDA - 8/01

Opera Funtime books has a book on Aida. (history, biography of Verdi, crossword, hieroglyphics, etc., lots for this level to do) The books are $3.00 per student. http://ypo-miami.org/lesson-plans/

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There is a book with an adaptation of the story by Leontyne Price. The pictures are beautiful. There is a compaion CD that goes with it, the Leontyne Price reading the story and excepts from the opera. I used this last year with my middle schoolers during an Egypt unit and they LOVED it. I got both from Amazon.com last year.--------------------------------
GRAND MARCH ENTRANCE: This week as the kids enter, we're listening to Grand March then discussing the music for a few minutes. I showed them Egypt on my inflatable globe (yay, Dollar Tree), we discussed the country: weather, language, etc. (Info from internet) I then talked to them about Verdi, then read half of the story from the book by Florence Stevenson (I think - checked it out of the library.) I have the Leontyne Price book, which I showed to them a little - asking them what country did they think the opera was set in. (Before the globe, etc.) I don't have the CD, but will try to get it before next year.

Other plans include discussing the Broadway version - I bought the soundtrack from Wal-Mart, will decide which excerpt(s) to use; also showing a scene from the opera - our public library has the video. I read that the return of the soldiers is a great scene, but I haven't seen the video yet. I'll let you know what doesn't work with my kids, and I'll be looking for some more ideas! Oh - forgot - I ordered a highlights CD from Barnes and Noble, for about $10. Haven't gotten it yet, but I think it has Placido Domingo and Leontyne Price. She is from Mississippi, so I'll also be tying that into the unit.
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MUSIC, WORDS, OPERA! - Aida is in Level II Opera Curriculum
“Music, Words, Opera!”: contact:
http://www.operaamerica.org/applications/notes/mwo.aspx
Andrea Johnson, Manager of Education and Adult Learning Programs
(212) 796-8620 x206, --- [emailprotected]
OPERA America, 330 Seventh Avenue, 16th Floor, New York, NY 10001
http://www.operaamerica.org/
It's quite good - there are 2 levels (grades 1-3 and grades 4-6) Each includes 3 operas lessons and listening lessons as well as single booklets with art ideas, worksheets)
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You might find some neat ideas there that you could work up on your own, or purchase the student books and teacher resource for future use.

Our 6th graders began reading Aida as part of their "accelerated reading program" last year and their SS classes study of ancient Egypt. I'm hoping to integrate with them this year.

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AMAHL AND THE NIGHT VISITORS

01/16 07/15 - AMAHL AND THE NIGHT VISITORS - Lesson at:
http://www.minnesotaorchestra.org/learn/teachers-students-and-parents/young-peoples-concerts/curriculum

06/09 I did Amahl for the first time ever this year. The children LOVED it. Some 13 year old girls cried when they watched it! So fantastic that they can still be touched by music and stories! I am desperate for a DVD of the Teresa Stratas version...I am using the original black and white 1955 version! --- Lesley-Anne Hill

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RIGOLETTO

06/15 MOVIE: RIGOLETTO from Feature Films For Families. It seems to hold the attention of every kid from 2nd thru 5th. This video has some good musical points to it. --- Rick in NC
Rigoletto is a new twist on beauty and the beast. Mr. Ribaldo is a voice teacher and the story has some beautiful music throughout. I loved them so much I purchased the music and I have used the score in both my teaching and private voice studio. You are right, kids LOVE the movie, my own included. ---- D. Buenger
The main character, Bonnie, loves to sing. She sings against her arch-enemy in a competition at the beginning of the show; which style is better? Is her posture good? Does she enunciate properly? Later Bonnie learns voice from Mr. Ribaldi, who sings a song about a man whose life took a bad turn because he was angry and hateful. Plot development through song -- one of the big points of a musical. Then Bonnie goes to the BIG competition and competes against many other students. Not a mind-boggling plethora of musical wonders, but it does involve musical ideas and techniques. If you don't want another video, don't get it -- but if you want something to show at the end of May, when everyone is tired out, this is a great one for capturing kids' attention. ---- Nikki Feginger.

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THE TELEPHONE

01/07 My very favorite for introducing opera is Menotti's "The Telephone." It's short, in English, and my 5-6th graders loved the humor of it. -- Judy in Wi.
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06/04 06/04 I always did Menotti's "The Telephone" to introduce 6th graders to opera. It's in English, short, and they loved the humor in it. -- Contributed by David Figi
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6/01 I have used Menotti's "The Telephone" with 5th and 6th graders. It is short and in English.

7/01 I went to school today and pulled out my video of "The Telephone" opera by Menotti. I usually take three and/or four days to complete the opera. We don't watch it for the whole class times. If you stop it at exciting times, the anticipation is vibrant throughout the building. The students love it.

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I have the video of "The Telephone." I got it from Borders Book Store. It is wonderful!!!! If I remember correctly, it runs about $20.00. It's worth it.

My entire school studies this opera when I teach it - even the K classes! They love it. I only show a little bit each week and I always stop it at an exciting point in the plot. They can't wait until I return.

If you want to "turn your students onto opera - get this one. It will do the trick. I also have a video of opera clips from the "more elite" operas. Now the students ask to see them.
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I always use worksheets with musicals. It is a good basis for discussion afterwards and keeps the kids on task----otherwise, as we all know, some will use this time to just tune out.

When I taught 6th grade I always did an opera unit and used G. C. Menotti's opera, "The Telephone." It is short, in English, and funny and they enjoyed it. Of course they always moaned and groaned when I said we were going to listen to an opera but this changed their mind. We listened to it---don't know if there is a video available.I got the tape/CD at our public library.

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CARMEN

CARMEN: Give the children an overview of the story of Carmen. In short... Carmen worked in a cigarette factory. The girls who worked there spent time together on the street chatting and sometimes dancing. A fight broke out between the girls and Carmen was arrested by DON JOSE and his soldiers. She was imprisoned and while in jail Don Jose fell in love with her. She however only had eyes for ESCAMILLO, a bull fighter. Carmen escaped from jail, went to see Escamillo in a bullfight, Don Jose jealously followed her and eventually stabbed her.

Chose 4 main Characters CARMEN, ESCAMILLO, DON JOSE, THE BULL Rest of the class are Dancer friends of Carmen (girls) and Soldiers in Don Jose’s regiment! I use hats for Soldiers (cheap plastic police hats) and scarves for the dancers. A mask for the bull, elasticated skirt for Carmen, and a cape for Escamillo. I have got the children to work together to make the hats while listening to the music using black card stapled into a tube with aluminium foil as a badge and a chin strap made out of card. This activity depends [on your desire] to perform it [or spend class time on it.

I never dictate what movement the children should do…they listen to the music and express the music through their movement…I only give a basic outline of the structure of the music and how the story develops. Theme A Carmen dancing with her friends. (circle around her perhaps?)
Theme B Argument begins between the girls…Soldiers march on and take Carmen prisoner. The music in this section is explicit and I always make the children think which part would be the best for the soldiers to march on to. It is all about LISTENING…and expressing the music creatively through music!
Theme A Dancers again…this time without Carmen. Theme C Toreador’s song Escamillo strutting his stuff! Bull in the ring sometimes charging…let the children decide! Dancers and Carmen watch anxiously from the side. Carmen swooning

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COSI FAN TUTTE

LESSON (.pdf): http://sfopera.com/SanFranciscoOpera/media/Education-Resource-Materials/Cosi/Cos-fan-Tutte-Social-Studies.pdf

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CREATING YOUR OWN OPERA

I started our Opera studies with the entire third grades with a large book of the Three Pigs that was written in Russian (thanks to my reading teacher's resources). The kids knew the story, so I asked for volunteers to become the actors who would say the lines as they thought the words would be for each page. It was a riot and so funny. During this time, I made suggestions to the actors such as how to face the audience and add inflection in their voices to enhance the drama. It was an instructional time as well as a fun exercise in ab lib.
What I failed to tell the actors was that after they presented the story to us according to their interpretations of the pages of the book, I then asked them to go "off-stage" and come back in and present the story again but they could not use their speaking voices.
Before they presented, we reviewed the different types of voices we have (speaking, whispering, shouting, singing, internal).

It took some of them a moment or two to get into the only singing mode, but when they finally did, it became another story and we used that as our beginning on how Opera tells a story through singing. Each class was able to do the above introductory exercise in one classroom setting. I even had parents video tape us when we did the lesson as a record of our grant project.
In the first stages we wrote down any ideas that students could think that they had learned through their studies.Later classes, we tried to put ideas together in rhyming phrases. Over many classes we finally had the words to the story that we wanted to turn into our song.
In following classes, I told classes that since no one had ever heard our song before - they could not make any mistakes in trying to sing the lines to us. The only rule we had was that whoever sang a line to us had to do it the same way two times so that I had time to write it down. The class had to then sing the lines. Then the class would vote on which "good" idea we should use.
There were times when I thought that some of the phrases would never go together and I wanted so badly to change them in little ways, but I resisted thankfully. In the end, the student's ideas turned out wonderfully, even the ones I thought would never work due to different phrases being in different keys. I really sweated and worried over them. However, I found that by using a program called “BAND-IN-THE-BOX,” all i had to do was to play the melodic lines into the program and put the correct chords with them. The program took care of the modulations and presented wonderful accompaniments that I could tweak. We used those tracks as our accompaniments for the programs.
We did watch some opera's- an early version of "Where the Wild Things Are", and "What's Opera Doc" with Bugs Bunny (I can't remember the exact name at the moment but I believe it is on Sandy's resource list. Also, students had been assigned committees by their classroom teachers that crossed over classroom lists so that someone from each class was involved with each aspect so that they could report back to their class. They also worked on writing any scripts or narration that might be needed with the scenes. Students planned costumes and created them with help from teachers and parents. It was a lesson in cooperation that lasted all through their elementary school careers. I remember a new principal exclaiming that the students who had been through the project were able to work so well together in following years no matter whose classroom they ended up in. --- Dale Poling

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GILBERT & SULLIVAN

06/07 Oh Pirates.....make pirate hats. Buttercup sales tray with trinkets. police helmets and a little about the English Bobby,Act out, read the libretto as it is funny in places, move and dance to the tunes, good old word searches, colouring pages, may be make a few of the characters and a stage from card and act out parts of it in small groups, all the fun of the stage craft there. -- Jane Lloyd

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HANSEL AND GRETEL

06/10 HANSEL AND GRETEL: LEARNING ABOUT OPERA! Is an online educational experience featuring the opera. Players can control interactive elements in every scene and watch the play unfold. Includes lesson, Text and Libretto, B. Backstage text, Quiz, Puppet art activity, Fractured Fairy Tale activity:
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06/06 CURRICULUM: (in Level I-lower elementary)This curriculum includes lessons, plot synopsis, extension ideas, student activity booklets, listening examples
“Music, Words, Opera!”: contact:
http://www.operaamerica.org/applications/notes/mwo.aspx
10/02 I teach Hansel and Gretel to my first graders at Christmas time. We do a worksheet about good food/bad food to eat. We watch a video of Hansel and Gretel. We learn a dance to go along with "Hansel won't you dance with me?" - just something I made up.

But our favorite activity is that when our lesson is all done we made gingerbread houses. I bake flat gingerbread rectangles, make up batches of icing glue that I put in baggies and snip the end for them to squeeze it out of, and bring lots of things to put on their houses. We use golden grahams(shingles), gumdrops, pretzels, peppermints, nerds, etc. They made windows and doors. The charm of this is that it is on a flat dimension. It was much easier for them to decorate. It took about 1 hour for everything to dry. I let them take home a baggy of additional icing with instructions to cover a tin soup can with aluminum foil, stand it upright, smear their icing on one side and adhere their gingerbread fronts to the tin can. This makes a false front building.
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There's a good little lesson on Hansel and Gretel in the kindergarten book of the old MacMillan "Music and You" series. Our district is on its first year with the new MacMillan but this Hansel and Gretel is the one thing from the old series I've carried over. And I have done it with kindergarten. They are enchanted by it.
I read the story and play the tracks from the text's recording. When Hansel and Gretel dance, I have the children dance. When Hansel and Gretel sleep, I have the students sleep, too. I awaken them with my portrayal of the Dew Fairy. I use the big book that came with the series and the cheesy little cut-outs of the characters. The kids love it. It takes two half-hour class times to go through the story, and I skip a lot of the overture because it just doesn't hold their interest.
We talk about how the story is told through singing. We talk about fairy tales and what elements separate them from reality. I found it has helped to point out that the story might make us worry in the middle of it, but all fairy tales end with "happily ever after." I would be careful about the witch in the story. I call her a cranky old lady, but the kids always recognize her as a witch. You might want to check with the classroom teacher about any possible problems particular students might have about witches. There is an excellent video of the opera that I get from our regional service district. I fast-forward through large chunks of it because the kids can't seem to handle constant operatic singing. "Are they ever gonna just talk?"When studying Hansel and Gretel I always give out the miniature tootsie rolls to each child when we get to the part where the witch is trying to fatten up Hansel. I go to each child, ask him to stick out his finger, feel it and then say something like "Ooooh, you are MUCH too skinny." Then I give that child a tootsie roll. They love this.
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MAGIC FLUTE, THE

01/16 Complete score online : http://www.dlib.indiana.edu/variations/scores/scores.html
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SOFTWARE: “Magic Flute: The Music Game” can be found at sites such as Amazon.com and has received great reviews.
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STUDY GUIDE: http://www.azopera.org/opera-classroom/resource-library
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CURRICULUM: "Music, Words, Opera!" This curriculum is included Level I (1st-3d grade) which also includes curriculums for "Hansel & Gretel," "The Child and the Enchantments," and a curriculum for a class project of writing their own opera. This kit includes lessons, listening examples, activity booklets for students, background information, etc.,
“Music, Words, Opera!”: contact:
http://www.operaamerica.org/applications/notes/mwo.aspx

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PHANTOM OF THE OPERA

02/03 PHANTOM OF THE OPERA I begin the "Phantom of the Opera" unit by showing a cartoon video. It is Celebrity's Just for Kids "Phantom of the Opera," ISBN- 4100-96057-3, manufactured and distributed by Celebrity Home Entertainment, Inc., Woodland Hills, CA 91365. I bought my copy at Fred Meyer for $4. The next class I show clips from the Phantom version with Lon Chaney in black and white and subscript text over organ music and discuss how far movies/videos have come. (again from Fred Meyer's Halloween section.) Then I show clips from the 1945 color version with Claude Raines. I end up with a PP slide show I made on the Paris Opera House and scenes from the Broadway version with Michael Crawford.

I introduce "Morning Mood" and "In the Hall of the Mountain King" and we act out the scene with masks and props. It's a hoot! The next class session I show Peer Gynt from the Clearview series, Chicago, 1-800-253-2788. I purchased it through either Music in Motion or Education Record Services. It has still pictures and music background.... no dialogue. I provide the edited story line. The kids are intrigued that the story continues with his escapades until he returns home and dies.

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"WHAT'S OPERA DOC?"

The first thing I do when I teach opera is show the Bugs Bunny cartoon - "What's Opera Doc?" Then I ask the question - "What is an Opera?" to find out everything the students know or don't know about the subject, and we list them all. I then move into a basic lesson plan that teaches all the jobs at the opera. Kind of an overview. We talk about the General Manager, Stage Director, Stagehand, Set Designer, Carpenter & Painter, Costume Designer, Lighting Designer, Wardrobe Mr./Ms., Make-up & Hair Designer, etc. This gets many of the boys interested too. (I actually got this idea from a Daily News MiniPage for Kids about 10 years ago.)
Then I move on to the more musical jobs. Composer, Librettist, Conductor, Choreographer, Orchestra, Chorus, Dancer, Super, etc. Followed by more specific stuff like - Duet, Ensemble, Aria, Recitative, Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano (Alto), Tenor, Baritone & Bass. I then play a recording (short excerpt) of all. Finally I introduce the characters of the opera we will see (it changes every year). We act out an easy version with a playscript and I insert portions of the music and, of course, the kids do the acting with a few simple props to enhance. After you've done all this go back and look at your list of what they know about opera - there might be some things that will sound pretty funny now. (I've actually had - "Opera is fat people singing.") I've done these lessons many times with my 4-5-6th graders and have had great success. This past week we (62 students and 5 teachers & parents) saw The Los Angeles Guild Opera's "The Elixer of Love" (not a fat singer in the bunch!) and had a completely enjoyable and entertaining experience.

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"TREEMONISHA"

Treemonisha, an opera by Scott Joplin is sung in English and has a great story line. My 5th grade boys and girls really seem to enjoy it and I let them analyze the opera and divide itinto acts, illustrate the scenes and then write the story line under each picture and turn it into a book that is displayed in the Authors and Illustrators club's end of school presentation to the parents. A great group project. Some of these 5th grade boys have big brothers that are gang members. So your discription of macho boys seemed to fit what I teach as well. I'll be doing an article on Treemonisha and Scott Joplin for Black History month so be sure and check out the articles on this URL over the next few weeks. http://www.suite101.com/topics/page.cfm/235
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Last year I taught an opera unit. Taught briefly about the history and things like what a castrati and claque are. Studied the plots and songs from The Marriage of Figaro (which they thought was pretty funny), Porgy and Bess, Carmen, Madame Butterfy, Aida, and the Barber of Seville. Referred a lot to "Opera for Dummies" (which includes the libretto and its translation, so kids could follow along) and Kathleen Krull's "Lives of the Musicians" (which contains Mozart and Verdi.) One their quizzes, they would have to listen to selection of music and identify which opera it was from and who composed it. They would also have a matching section with questions like "Which opera has a trouser role?" and "Which opera is performed with elephants?" The great thing about teaching opera is that you know EVERY SINGLE KID in your class learned something they didn't know before.

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PORGY AND BESS

06/06 Book: "Summertime from Porgy and Bess" by Gershwins and Heywards illustrations by Mike Wimmer, published by Aladdin PaperbacksLESSON: http://sfopera.com/sanfranciscoopera/media/siteassets/guild/porgyand-bessstudyguide.pdf

https://www.ocma.net/sites/default/files/PDFs/education/5ArtText.pdfLESSON (IT AIN'T NECESSARILY SO) http://www.lessonplanet.com/search?keywords=porgy+and+bess&layout=tiled

LESSON (SUMMERTIME) http://www.lessonplanet.com/search?keywords=porgy+and+bess&layout=tiled

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VIDEOS

08/14 Backstage at the Opera: http://www.rdimusic.com/movie.htm Free at Patty Oeste's site
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05/21 I enjoyed the Rigoletto video myself and am sure your students would, too. It is less about "Rigoletto" and more about growing up and achieving one's dreams. Music is a big element in this story about a young girl who meets a reclusive musician who takes it on hmself to help her become a singer. It includes some beautiful songs and encourages children to persevere for success.
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How great to have money to add to videos. I use several "Reading Rainbow" videos each year. "Barn Dance" is wonderful! I also use "Abiyoyo", "Mama Don't Allow", "Mufaro's Beautiful Daughter", "Ty's One Man Band", and there are several others. Every year I show "The Music Man" to the third graders and "The Sound of Music" to the 4th. "Fantasia" is always wonderful for excerpts, but NEVER try to show the whole thing. There's not a kid alive to can take that. A friend gave me a film entitled "Rigoletto" (Not the opera) that is wonderful about a man teaching a young girl to sing. It's kind of a "chick flick", but great! "The Orchestra" a video of a book by the same name and narrated by Peter Ustinov is relatively inexpensive and useful. Disney sing-a-longs, if you can still get the older ones are a great investment (especially for non-musical subs). "School House Rocks" series are neat. I bought the one on American government because I've always loved the song "I'm Just a Bill."

A great source for videos is Great Plains Network, P.O. Box 80669, Lincoln, Nebraska 68501. 800-228-4630. They have the Penn and Teller series, FLAWLESS - - kids eat 'em up. And they have the Musical Encounter series, done for PBS (GPN IS PBS, if I understand correctly. . .) using kid performers - - all the instruments, composing, dancing - - I have 19 or 20 of them, and use them regularly. They are low-key - - send out a flyer once a year. Tapes are about $30 - $35 per, depending on how many you order at once. I do NOT recommend the one with the boychoir. Really dreadful. The rest are fine.

I would suggest possibly viewing the movie before you go. There is a great website: www.teachwithmovies.org which offers great suggestions for lessons plans dealing with this. I have used the site with West Side Story and several other musicals.

If you integrate with social studies classes that are covering American history, try The Music & Heroes of America, Volume 8 of This is America, Charlie Brown! It covers Stephen Foster, John Philip Sousa, and the rise of Blues, Jazz, and Ragtime, as well as what was going on in American history at the same time. 25 min., excellent for elementary, and $14.95 in Music in Motion.

"The Magic Flute" an ABC Video ISBN # 1-56949-174-7 (1994) 44 minutes.

The Tailor of Gloucester by Video Treasures is a musical version of Beatrix Potter's classic tale, nice for literature/music connections. It is beautifully done by the National Youth Music Theatre (Great Britain) and the Children of the Royal Ballet School. 45 min., $14.95 in Music in Motion. It also has a slight Christmas connection, although I believe it would be enjoyed at any time of the year.

Speaking of Christmas, it is quite long (79 min.), but I also really love the American Ballet Theatre and Mikhail Barishnikov's production of The Nutcracker. This is great for any age, my own daughters (aged 3 & 6) love it as well as older students, although my husband's middle school boys would never admit to enjoying ballet! It also stars Gelsey Kirkland and is put out by MGM/UA Home Video.

Every student that I have shown it to has loved Riverdance. I use it in March around St. Patrick's Day and we talk about the ethnic instruments and stepdancing. They pick up right away on the sound of the uillein pipes that were used in Titanic. My kids get to watch about the first half-hour and I always let them try to dance along for the last 5 min. if they have behaved. They adore it! You can also use "An Irish Dance" from Music K-8, vol.7, no.4 and "Penny Whistle" from vol.9, no.4. to go with it.

My husband taught a high school level class on American Musical Theatre a number of years ago. A couple of video resources he used were the Broadway Video Kit and The Best of Broadway Musicals. The video kit is great if you are teaching a year long class that is in depth, but it is long (10 hours total) and expensive ($265 in Music in Motion). It is listed as great for junior high, but I would not use it for anything lower than high school. It does have terrific interviews with composers, librettists, actors, and directors which are fascinating if you are really into musical theatre. The Best of Broadway Musicals is by Walt Disney Home Video and runs 56 min. This is much more appropriate for 6th-12th grades and includes interviews and clips from the Ed Sullivan Show including Oklahoma, Annie Get Your Gun, My Fair Lady, West Side Story, Camelot, Man of La Mancha, Sweet Charity, and Hello Dolly!, all original Broadway casts. I don't remember how much, but I purchased it at a Best Buy store.

A couple that I have used and not liked are: Silent Mouse, about Silent Night by PBS, and Tubby the Tuba, although I know many people who disagree on the last. At 81 min., I feel that it takes too long to show for the amount of musical knowledge it imparts. I hope this helps. I would also like to hear what others think about videos they have used, particularly if they did not like them, and why.

My favorite opera to show kids ( actually 3rd graders) is "Gianni Schicchi" by Puccini. It is a comic opera sung in english that has been updated by the Met to appeal to today's kids. It's 62 minutes long and a real hoot. Of course, we talk beforehand about why opera singers sound the way they do, what an opera is. We even have an opera day when only singing is allowed, even if asking to use the restroom! While showing the video, I give them things to look for ( their favorite character, costume & part of the story) and make comments (I'm glad my relatives aren't that greedy, what do you think they'll do next?) and interpret the words when they're hard to understand. It's produced by the Metropolitan Opera Guild Education Department. My students always ask to see it again in 4th grade and their parents are amazed that their kids actually liked an opera. In 4th grade I show "Amahl".

There are 6 composer videos that every school should have Bach's Fight for Freedom Bizets Dream - includes excerpts from Carmen Rossini's Ghost - includes opera excerpts Strauss's Waltz Handel's Last Chance They are similar in format to 'Beethoven Lives Upstairs' and are suitable for Grades 2-8. They are inexpensive and can be ordered from many companies. I have them available at www.christmasconcert.com

video "Bugs Bunny's Overture to Disaster" with "Kill the Wabbit"

I have taught general music K-3 for the last ten years, so my suggestions are mostly for lower el. I really like Peter & the Wolf by BMG Video. It is a combination of live action and animation and stars Kirstie Alley, Lloyd Bridges, and Ross Malinger. The video runs approximately 60 minutes, includes a section specifically about the instruments that play the themes, and costs $12.95 in the Music in Motion catalog. To go along with it, I like the Peter & the Wolf and Instruments reproducible mini-books in Early Childhood Units for Music by Ruth Bergad, a great resource, also $12.95 in Music in Motion.

Another set of videos I have used over and over are the Puppet Video Classics by Jim Gamble. There are four in the set: Carnival of the Animals, Peter & the Wolf, The Nutcracker, and the Adventures of Peer Gynt. They run 30 min. each and can be purchased individually for $16.95 or $58 for the set in Music in Motion. Of course, the Composer's Specials videos are great, too.

6/01 There is a movie called "OPERA ESSENTIALS" that contains exerpts from a variety of operas. This might be a good way to go if these kids have never had any exposure to opera. The video contains highlights from Carmen, Barber, Madam Butterfly, Aida, Turandot, Figaro, Boheme, Cavelleria, Tosca, and Rigoletto. It is all live productions. Getting someone local would be great, too.
Kids are always blown away by the power of the voice in person - in its full beauty! (First, they have to giggle, then they really start to listen.) I try whenever I can to break down those prejudices that lurk out there against opera. Therefore, I hope that your speaker is really good at reaching out to kids. It is important that they are not alienated any more than they are already.

Wilhelm Richard Wagner was born in Leipzig, Germany, May 22, 1813 and died in Venice, Italy, Februrary 13, 1883. He is considered the greatest opera writer of all time. It was in his opera, "The Flying Dutchman," that he first attempted to bring forth a dramatic expression in music. An Overture is an orchestral introduction to a play, an opera, or an oratorio. This opera is based on an old legend called, "The Wanderer of the Sea" which tells of a phantom ship with bright sails, whose captain is cursed and must follow the seas, until he finds a maiden who will be faithful to him unto death. He is called "The Flying Dutchman."
The overture depicts the atmosphere of the sea--the roar of the billows-the hum of the wind--the blind fury of the tempest, through which is heard the curse motif. In a brief lull of the storm, the "Senta" melody or tune is heard faintly in the distance. The elements rage again, with the wind shrieking fiercely--the waves dashing against the ship. The Dutchman longs for rest, and at the last the "Senta" motif enters triumphantly, and with the redemption of the wanderer, the overture ends.

The Metropolitan Opera does offer a video from 1991 with Kathleen Battle as Pamina (it does have English subtitles). IT'S FABULOUS!!! don't forget to screen it ahead of time, though. i missed some parts when it was on tv and it's been a while... gorgeous scenery and singing by some of the very best opera currently has to offer. My boys are in love with Battle after my showing them Baroque Duet. They'll watch her in anything! and in Flute she's really in her glory. This is absolutely the best video. It has subtitles which is excellent for improving reading skills as well as keeping the students' attention. (I taped this production off of PBS in 1991, and I used excerpts from it last year. You need to pick and choose the neat parts, like the beginning when Papageno gets his mouth locked, or the Queen of the Night aria, or the Pagageno/Papagena scene latter in the opera.
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10/01 Where the Wild Things Are: I saw a performance of Where the Wild Things Are (opera) years ago at Lincoln Center. The music is very contemporary, through-composed. The costumes were incredible - giant 20 foot monsters exactly like the illustrations. Sendak himself did the costuming. In the opera when the monsters sing they sing in Yiddish - he based them on his memories of his uncles at family gatherings when he was a child.

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WEB SITES

OPERA
PORGY AND BESS.
BACKGROUND: http://www.classical.net/music/comp.lst/works/gershwin/porgy&bess.html
http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/treasures/tri008.html
BACKGROUND: http://www.vicartscentre.com.au/arted/teachersnotes/
Download the Porgy & Bess .pdf file for some activities br>----------------------
BARBER OF SEVILLE WEBQUEST
Lesson in Chinese opera
http://www.teachervision.com/lesson-plans/lesson-8580.html
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LESSON: http://www.mnopera.org/wp-content/uploads/transfer/ed/Barber%20Guide.pdf
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RIGOLETTO STUDY GUIDE: http://www.azopera.org/opera-classroom/resource-library
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LIBRETTO LINKS: http://www.operafolio.com/list_of_opera_libretti.asp

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ORATORIO:Curriculum

The best known, of course, is "Messiah". Everyone knows the HallelujahChorus. I don't know the situation about using them in public schools,since they are religious in nature, but Mendelssohn's "Elijah" tells adefinite story and is easy to follow for older kids.

The closest I have gotten with my kids to oratorio is the Verdi Requiem. I stuck mostly to the Dies Irae part. The kids were very intrigued, but who wouldn't be? It is so exciting and dramatic. And, personally, I don't know of many oratorios (or really, ANY) that have these qualities.... (Ok,if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all...) The advantages to opera are that there is an interesting plot (usually) and beautiful music (usually...) and costumes, scenery, make-up, ACTION... This helps to catch their attention and KEEP it. Personally speaking, I have sung lots of oratorios, and don't really remember much of any of them... They are slow-paced, mostly dealing with things that aren't very current - I would think that alone would be a hard-sell to eighth graders.Now, I have thought of one which COULD be categorized as an oratorio - Respighi's "Laud to the Nativity" (Lauda per la Nativita del Signore) which you could use since you are in a Catholic school. It is relatively short, easy to listen to and has the angel,shepherd, Mary "roles" that the kids could identify with. I believe there must also be a recording in English.

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MUSICALS: UNIT STUDY

06/10 I do some opera with fourth and fifth graders. With both groups, we first discuss the different types of stage productions (play, musical, opera being the main ones) and use a Venn diagram with Smartboard to outline the variables. I also have a Powerpoint I downloaded (with credit to Patty Oeste) that I show that goes into the various aspects of what is needed to put on an opera.With both, we do an improv type of routine. With fourth graders, I give them a scenario (a short one) and ask them to perform it (improv) as a play, then sing it as an opera. With fifth graders, I allow them to make up their own scenario. Fifth grade also has to outline what they will need in order to bring their show to life ("if a theater owner or producer saw your opera and wanted to put it on stage, what would you need to bring in an audience and put on a good show?")I back this up with showing the old TV version (the one that survived) of Amahl and the Night Visitors to fourth grade and a SQUILT (Super Quiet Uninterrupted Listening Time) to fifth graders, while they listen to an aria. (SQUILT has boxes where the kids describe various elements of the music, then give their opinion as to why or why not they like the music, which ties into the critical writing elements they need in the regular classroom).--- Karen Stafford
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WARMUP SONG, LESSONS (Magic Flute, Tales of Hoffman, Romeo & Juliet): http://ypo-miami.org/lesson-plans/
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12/12 SUGGESTED MUSICALS FOR STUDY: MUSIC MAN SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS, SOUND OF MUSIC, MOVIE MUSIC, HOW THE GIMQUAT FOUND HER SONG
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12/11 UNIT ON MUSICAL THEATRE: There is a book called "About 100 years of American Music Theatre in About 100 Minutes" by Cathy Blair. Grades 3-6 and has a CD and reproducible activity sheets. From 1900-1990 and features a different musical for each decade.
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12/07 CURRICULUM: 1. I think it would be a good thing to throw in all the jobs that have to been performed to make this work..... from producer to usher. It's amazing.
2. The visual component is very interesting. As you watch musical theater, watch what color palette you see----- Into the Woods uses a lot of blue, orange, cream, for example. You will see permutation and variation after variation on that theme. You can even see it in the Little Mermaid animated film.
3. Another thing to notice is how the director creates a focus - sorta like pointing to "do" or a home tone. Are the actors looking at a certain place, is the light shining at a certain place......... very interesting.
4. For those of us who mount productions (all zillions of you out there), these are things to consider when we plan the program. After all, WE ending up doing most of the jobs, from director to set designer to sound designer to graphics designer........Martha in Tallahassee
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12/07 BOOK: How Does the Show Go On: An Introduction to the Theater...by Thomas Schumacher with Jeff Kurtti published by Disney. Great info, pix, even some mock script pages and lighting plots...etc. --- Elissa Reichstein-Saperstein

QUOTE from Amazon reviews: “This is hands down one of the best books on theatre every written. The presentation is amazing, the photos are beautiful and the little bits and pieces of "hands on" theatre items are incredible.

12/07 This book is NOT just for children” As of 12/07, marked down to $13.57 at Amazon.com
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07/05 Check out a "workbook ' that is called Musical Mysteries. It has a very good section. Suggested grade level: 4th through 8th grade, however, some of my third graders have done well on all activities but the cryptoquip.
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06/04 I've been doing a short unit on Meredith Willson's "Music Man" with my 6th-8th graders. I drew on study material from the web and ideas from responses to this list and put together a 4 page study guide with a synopsis, list of characters, the kids had to do a web diagram of the main characters, information about bands and John Philip Sousa, life in a small Midwestern town in the 1900s etc. Very across the curriculum.

They're working now on a work-packet. They've been given a list of songs and have had to identify 1) what character sings or performs, 2) what is the song about? 3) what function does it serve in the musical (move the story along, convey feelings or emotions, or showcase talent). They have to write a short answer essay about their favorite song in the movie. They have to identify how a musical is similar and different to a ballet (we did Nutcracker in December).

There's a fill in the blank section of about 30 items, the answers then become the words for a word search. It seems to me there's another page of something, questions on general history of the time, etc, drawing from the study guide. And, they have to write a synopsis of the story in their own words.It's going very well, and the kids have actually had some really healthy dialogues about the music in the film. Most of them have never seen or heard of it, and it's a great way to introduce them to musical theater. They're also beginning to think more about how the stories work with the songs, etc, so it's not just passive watching.

I'm planning to use this same study guide/work packet format for an electives class next year which will cover several musicals, ballet and opera.I got the newer version of MM (with Matthew BRoderick) and the kids like it because they identify him as being Inspector gadget. However, one kid who thought the project was due this past Monday actually RENTED the Robert Preston video over the weekend (my heart nearly stopped at the thought of a student being so procative...) and he felt it was much better than the newer version. However, the newer version has a lot more diversity in the make-up of the townsfolk.

I might do a comparison/contrast of some scenes from bother versions. I'm pleased with my music man packet and have adopted the same kind of study guide/worksheet/project format to my other units. -- Contributed by Robert in NYC
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In my opinion, the best musical to show to 6th graders is "7 Brides for 7 Brothers". It is very concise, without a lot of wasted, unnecessary dialogue or too many songs. The plot moves right along and there is a lot of humor in it. The girls love the romantic sections and the boys love the fight scenes. The choreograpy is excellent and exciting in a masculine way for the boys, especially in the barn- raising scene. Also, it is a period piece, set in the early 1800's. - Contributed by Deanne Taylor in Arizona
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Day 1: We started by comparing four genres: play, opera, ballet and musicals - what was the same, what was different.

Day 2&3: I adapted a short skit from a Character Counts book that had a baseball scene in it and divided the class into four groups. Each group had to present the same skit, only in the assigned genre. One day of practice, one day to perform. I thought I would have to pull teeth to get the kids to do the opera or ballet versions, but those were the best! The boys that drew the ballet were so excited to get it! The day the groups presented their "shows" was one of the most fun days I've had with that class this year!

Day 4-6: I shared a brief synopsis of the show and we learned songs from "The Music Man" which are in the "Music Connection" series in grades 4 and 5. (76 Trombones, Wells Fargo Wagon, Pick a Little/Goodnight, Ladies)

Day 7: They filled in the answers to a guided study sheet. Someone from the list shared an outline of info about musicals, and I adapted it. Day 8: Begin watching the video. While they watch it, they must fill out a "Video Log". They must list each song of the show, who sings it, and how the song fits into the show (shows character's emotions, or moves the story along or showcases talent). They will use this video log when they are done watching the video to recap the story and write about their favorite parts. They are absolutely entranced by the movie, and groan at the end of every class when I have to shut the TV off...and I'm happy because I have 25 minutes every day where I can work on trying to see my desktop again for the first time since September! - Contributed by Karen Reynolds
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02/04 My favorite for showing 6th is "The Unsinkable Molly Brown". The boys love the brawls, the girls love the romance, the songs are a bit hokey, but just knowing that it's roughly based on a true story and watching the sinking of the Titanic at the end makes it worthwhile. It is a bit on the long side, though...

Fifth grade watches "Singin' in the Rain" and always loves this musical. I haven't seen it mentioned here yet...

Seventh gets to watch "West Side Story" with a lot of prep work. Sometimes this works and sometimes it doesn't...it all depends on the maturity of the class that year. Eighth usually gets to watch "Mr. Holland's Opus" as their spring movie. Although this isn't truly a musical, it has a lot of "meat" in it to discuss as a class. - Contributed by Nancy in CA
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02/04 I am getting ready to start my American Musical Theatre unit with my 6-8ths. I stretch this unit out across 5 weeks spending one of my 2 teaching days exclusively on the unit. Here's how I've structured it and it has worked quite well for the past 2 years: 1st session: We refresh a song from the 5th grade Broadway/New York unit (Another Opening Another Show) and briefly review the meaning.
Then I introduce the unit and their class's musical (6ths: Oklahoma, 7ths: Sound of Music, 8ths: West Side Story). I pass out a handout providing general info about the American Musical, some history and things like plot, lyricist, composer, choreographer, and other jobs involved. Kids take turns reading paragraphs while I guide them in highlighting important points. The same handout is used in all 3 grades so by 8th, they're catching on pretty well and its mainly refreshing their memories.

Then I pass out an observation sheet to each student with space for them to fill in the name of their musical, the composer, lyricist, choreographer, setting, etc. This info I give them and they fill in.
Also on this observation sheet are places for them to fill in principle characters & their voice types, principle songs & who sings them, prominent choreographed numbers, etc. This they fill in (actually we work on it together) after they view each video segment each week.
Then, on this first day, we watch the first segment (about 15 min. this time) and work on the first observations from that segment. If any time is left (usually not), I'll introduce one of the principle songs from the show. From this point on, each session includes a brief review of the previous segment's observations, a viewing of the next 20-25 min. or so of the video, adding to the observation sheet, and reviewing or introducing them to another song. I plan for 3 songs to be learned from each show.

Now, as is usually the case with the Sound of Music (which is the longest), I will show a little more of this video than the others. The songs from this show are somewhat familiar to the kids, so we can afford to spend more time watching the video. Also, the principal characters are all introduced early on and the observations basically just involve listing new songs (even these are reprised toward the end). It works out quite well.

By the last session, I will let them see whatever is left of the movie, even taking my other teaching day's sessions to complete it if necessary. This unit allows me a bit of a break from intense planning (which is a Godsend at this time).As far as musical choices, Oklahoma isn't too long (esp. if you fast forward through most of the dream scene). You might also consider Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. I love this show and it would be great for 5ths/6ths. I've had no success finding the songs in print though, so singing any would prove challenging.

For whatever it's worth, I do a Broadway/New York unit with my 5ths at the same time as my AMT unit. We don't study a musical in particular, but I introduce them to Broadway and how it is NY's theatre district for the Am. Musical. I give them a little background info and then proceed to introduce them to various songs about Broadway and NYC. I do lots of choreography with them too since there is so much choreography in musicals. Some of the songs I use are:
Another Opening Another Show
On Broadway (w choreography)
New York, New York
Lullaby of Broadway (w choreography)
My Gal's A Corker, she's a New Yorker (they love this silly song and they get to create their own silly verses too)

This is a fun unit that the kids seem to enjoy. It's a great stepping stone into the 6-8ths AMT units too. - Gretchen in IL
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04/03 TERMS: overture, entracte, cue, understudy, vamp, pit, 11 o'clock number
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COPYRIGHT for showing musicals at school:
I have gotten permission faxed to me by various companies. I always show "Singing in the Rain" to my kids. It such a good way to talk about the history of sound in the movies, etc. Anyway, I called Warner Bros (I think - may have been Fox) and told them why I was using it and they faxed me permission to show the films in class. I got the numbers of companies by calling 1-800-555-1212, which is just informatin for corporations.
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With this particular class, I actually formulate my "what if" revenges. Isn t that terrible? For instance, after my program in March, I start preparing them for middle school music, including talking about band and choir. Soon, they'll be attending an eighth grade band concert, and the band director will come talk with them, etc., so I usually do my instrument unit then.

They have to take some music class, either choir, band, or orchestra (and kids start strings in fifth, so it's essentially either choir or band for the rest). I just KNOW one of them is going to say "But why do we have to take music?" So today, I'm formulating a research project in my brain JUST IN CASE they open up their big mouths....

"Gee, guys, I wonder why music is so important in our culture, so important that it's considered important enough to study in school? Let's find out!". Then, I'm going to have them do a presentation on one of the following:

1. A scientific experiment comparing TV shows with music versus those without
2. An interview session with an older person who enjoys singing or performing an instrument
3. The science of sound and music
4. Research into athletes who play an instrument or sing with a group

You know, every so often, there's a class that you just HAVE to outsmart!!! I've used the "Well, if you want to really know, come in at recess and I'll explain it" route, and they never do. So, I feel ornery enough to back them into a corner.

Anyway, I think I've got it narrowed down to "7 Brides", "Annie Oakley", or Fiddler". I just need to watch them and decide.

One thing I have done before when I used to show West Side Story: Make the boys who scoffed try some of the dance moves. That shut them up REAL quick when they realize it's not as easy as it seems! I always let the kids know about the football players who take ballet to help them with their leg muscles and balance.-- Contributed by Karen Stafford
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SELLING IT TO SIXTHS: I think I'd start with a preemptive strike. I tell my kiddos that I will always take them at their word. If they have expressed in words or behavior that they feel they're too old for a musical, or the musicals you pick are too dorky for their sophisticated taste, I would honor that. I'd let them know that I've heard what they've been telling me, and I don't want to make them do something that they feel certain won't be a beneficial learning experience. So, instead, I'm going to have the 6th grade do a more "grownup" lesson. It might be worksheets, it might be a small group project of some kind, that would teach them about musicals, but they wouldn't actually watch one.

Then I'd have as much fun as I possibly could with the other grades, and let the 6ths know about it. I'd leave provocative little reminders around the room, then apologize for it. You don't want to offend their extremely mature sensibilities, now, do you? They will BEG to watch a musical. You can choose to if you want, but I'd make them understand the process you just took them through first. Kids need to know that their words carry weight and that the world will hold them accountable for them.-- Contributed by Andrea Cope
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Handouts for American Musical Theatre: download at http://www.musiceducationmadness.com/
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08/02 Several years ago I wrote a curriculum guide for introducing musical theater to my 5th graders. It takes about 3 class periods to do, and goes through a history of musical theater from early opera up to today's current musicals. It's an ouline in paragraph form, and I hand it out to the kids. We read and go through it together, and I have lots of musical examples to play. Knowing the background helps them understand the four characteristics of an American Musical:

1) American setting
2) American characters
3) American plot
4) Elements of jazz

From there, we go into a study/viewing of "The Music Man," and I have study guides I wrote for that, too. The musical theater outline is 4 pages, and there are 3 separate pages of study guides, I think.
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03/02 I also show Broadway show videos each year. I much prefer videos of actual stage performances, but, unfortunately they're not always available. This is what I do:
K - Stomp
1 - Blast 3 - The Wiz
4 - Annie
5 - Cats
6 - West Side Story
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03/02 I do a whole Broadway Musical unit and show a different musical to a each grade level each year. This is what I do:
K - Wizard of Oz
1 - Mary Poppins
2 - Oliver
3 - Sound of Music
4 - Music Man
5 - Oklahoma
I have a whole packet made up that I give out to 3rd, 4th and 5th graders on their musical....
I searched the web and found sites that had lots of useful information - stuff I have included in the packet for Sound of Music includes:
a stained glass window that says Sound of Music for them to color (this is my cover page for the packet)...I hang these up on bulletin board.
A summary of the play
An interview with Mary Martin (I think that is right) who played Maria
Crosswords and fun puzzle type things
A list of songs
A producer's info sheet which includes everything they'd need to know if they were putting on this play - including cast needed, orchestra members needed, sets etc...
A study guide that I put together...we go over the questions at the beginning of class very quickly each day
A 'Showbiz Terminology' page...this goes along with our Missour Fine Arts Assessment that Martha Hogan has been telling you about. The state has included a whole (very long!) list of terms regarding the arts that kids have to know for this test in 5th grade so last year when we rewrote our curriculum we took these terms and broke them down by grade level and I thoroughly cover these in this unit.
I also HIGHLY DISCUSS audience etiquette EVERY SINGLE DAY!!!! I explain to the kids the difference between a 'movie' and a real 'musical' and tell them that if I could get a real stage with real actors in my classroom to perform for them every day that I would - but since I can't - then they are to PRETEND that they are watching a live musical. I STRICTLY enforce audience etiquette.
Also, every single day, we discuss the differences between a ballet, an opera and a musical.
At the end of this unit, I give them a test over the musical and a test on audience etiquette. I will also include a showbiz terms test this year.
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I've been chipping away at my middler's curriculumplan for next year and have pretty much decided on thefollowing for our "On Stage" unit. Since each ofthese classes have either recorders or handbellstaking up 1 of their 2 sessions each week, I'll onlyhave 4-5 sessions to devote to this unit. Also, I'mworking out of the 6th grade STM 2000 text for ALL 3grades.

I've decided to make this unit a 3 yearcummulative kind of thing... 6th will focus on theAmerican Musical Theatre (what it is, a littlehistory, etc.) and they'll study 1 musical in moredetail (I'm leaning toward Oklahoma) and learn severalof the more popular songs from it. 7th will focus onthe Oratorio (Handel's Messiah, Haydn's Creation, andMendelssohn's Elijah).

I've sung each of these andhave the complete scores too. We'll again do a bit ofstudy on what an oratorio is, some history, listen toexerpts of each, and sing a few of the numbers. Therewon't be any video aspect for this, but that shouldn'tbe a problem since there's no actual dramatic actioninvolved. I thought I might have the kidsbrainstorm some set & costume designs would they havebeen used.

8ths will focus onopera. I'm going to make this something the otherclasses will look forward to (I hope). First I'mgoing to hook them by asking them to write downeverything they know about or that comes to mind whenthey think about opera (should prove interesting). Then I'm going to present them with some interestingopera terms (basso buffo, dive, castrati, trouserrole, etc.) and have them come up with a believabledefinition that will trick their classmates intothinking it's the real definition. I'll collectanswers and prepare a multiple choice quiz includingtheir and the correct answers. They'll take the quizand then correct it to see who got tricked (this isall explained on Sandy Toms music ed. site underopera, "thank you so much Sandy").

I'll then let themsee the Bug's Bunny What's Opera Doc video toenlighten them about the opera music they're alreadyfamiliar with. From here, we'll look more closely atthe definition of opera, what makes up a great opera,etc. Then (because I have access to excerpts of themusic and a video performance with subtitles), we'llfocus on Carmen. To finish out, I'll bring in myopera singing friend to do a little workshop completewith singing, make-up, costumes, etc. Should be fun(I hope).

Because I work at a Catholic school, I thoughtabout studying the Mass instead of the Oratorio withmy 7ths (I've sung several of those too), and maystill do that. However, I think the progression ofMusical, oratorio, opera works best.

I'm in the process now of preparing a study sheetfor the students to fill in with info about each genrebeing focused on. They'll of course get all theanswers from me during class. This will serve astheir "written" test for the unit. How thoroughlythey've completed their study sheet will determinetheir grade on the test. It will basically ask thename of said work, composer, lyricist/librettist,principal singers & voice types, historicalsetting/Biblical text, main songs & who they're sungby, plot, etc.

6ths will focus on music from 1900-1930 andlearn a few songs from this time. 7ths:1940-1960,8ths:1970-present.

The only thing I'll have to purchase are the Bug'svideo and the oratorio cds for the Haydn &Mendelssohn. I've already got or have access toeverything else.
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I used the RAG TO RAP unit for the past two years. I highly recommend supplementing. We listened to Joplin for rag, did the Charleston for the 20s, heard the original Louis Prima versions of Sing, Sing, Sing (which has a singing version in the 5th grade STM) and Jump, Jive, and Wail just to name a few things. Of course, we discussed each decade and why the music changed. Oh I forgot...they wrote blues lyrics in the 20s and sang their songs for the class! We limboed in the 50s and did line dancing (not the electric slide, but the stroll and Grease-like stuff).

I encouraged the students to bring in CDs with music from the 50s until now. I also got one of the school's turntables and showed them how I used to buy/play 45s and albums! They couldn't believe the difference in quality! If you can play an original 45 or album and then the CD version...what a difference!

There are supplemental exercises in the Master Resource book for 6th grade. Check them out. The 80s was too easy so I whited out the years next to the events so they had to listen closer to the sound capsule.

Musical website: http://www.educationplanet.com/search/redirect?id=658&mfcat=/search/Art_ and_Music/Music/Lyrics/&mfcount=21 ---
CREATE YOUR OWN MUSICAL: Maybe, just to keep it simple for this year, you could just have the kids pick from three different stories (mine had to chose between a scary story, a fairy tale, or an adventure story that I made up on my own). They were divided into groups of 5-6 students. Each group had to complete the following:
1) Pick a story
2) Read through the story together and highlight parts in the story where SOUND EFFECTS could be added to make it more interesting.
3) Decide how the sound effects where going to be made (body percussion, furniture, classroom instruments, vocal, etc)
4) Decide who was going to do the sound effects and who was going to be the narrator(s). Each student had to do at least one thing, they couldn't just sit there.
5) Practice the so try with the effects
6) Perform their version of the story for the class

I graded them on group cooperation, individual contribution, quality of sound effects, and staying on task.

You might be able to have them pick a section of the story where they need to write their own song lyrics to a familiar tune.

Maybe have them use a day where they have to sing everything they say in class. Or use a day where everyone is assigned a phrase (just simply a sentence - like "I like to eat cheese and crackers by the ocean, where I can watch the birds.") Then they must say that phrase first using their normal speaking voice, then sing it, or read it as a different character (i.e. an old lady, or a baby, etc). This may give them line reading experience and a little drama.-- Contributed by Tara Derr
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FIDDLER ON THE ROOF

I just did Fiddler this fall with my high school. (I'mK12). Music Theater International has a great guide. Their number is 212-541-4684. It's a great show.
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BOOK: There are some activities in the Musical Mysteries book by Kathleen Fergusson

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MARY POPPINS

06/07 MARY POPPINS: Interesting facts - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058331/
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MUSIC MAN

06/07 I've found that skipping "The Sadder But Wiser Girl" is much easier than explaining exactly what that means (especially the part about "I hope and I pray for Hester to win just one more A"). -- Ruth Garcia
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01/07 I also show [this musical] to my fourth graders, but only after we have sung "Pick A Little, Talk A Little" (from SBG Music Connection) and "Goodnight Ladies" as partner songs. We discuss a little about the musical, then after we know the songs really well, how they fit into the plot and characteristics of some of the main characters, I show them the video. You might need to explain some of the humor and vocabulary to them. We always have an interesting discussion on "what is a con man?!" They really love it, but you do have to set it up so they understand a little bit about the cultural background of the times. -- Sue in NC

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OKLAHOMA

Oklahoma! was also based loosly on the story "Green Grow the Lilacs". It was the first collaboration of Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II, and Agnes DeMille. It was also the first time to include ballet/dance as part of the story telling device in a muiscal. This was the mold for many of the musicals of the later half of the 20th century.
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"Oklahoma" changed the face of musical theatre. Before this musical by Rodgers and Hammerstein, when songs broke out, the action was completely stopped. The action would "pick up" and continue after the song. The song was kind of an entity unto itself.

"Oklahoma" changed that structure. The songs ADVANCED the action by reflecting the thoughts and/or feelings of the people involved in the song. Instead of making "time stand still", time continued and the story was shown THROUGH the song.
A great example is the dream sequence of "Out of My Dreams". Laurie has taken the elixir that will help her dream of her future. During her "dream", the battle between Curly and Jud foreshadows problems in the future. When the song ends, Jud is there trying to wake Laurie.

Here's something your students who watch "All My Children" might like: The ballet scene Curly was danced by James Mitchell that plays Palmer Cortland on AMC. James Mitchell was also in the movie "The Turning Point" with Shirley MacLaine and Anne Bancroft. (I believe his character's name was Michael).

See if they recognize Shirley Jones that plays Laurie. She was Shirley Partridge on the Partridge Family in the 70s. Of course, she has fabulous movie credits, but this generation will recognize her for that TV show (Nick at Nite and TV Land).

Ado Annie is played by Gloria Grahame. She was Violet in "It's A Wonderful Life". Violet was the girl that liked George Bailey and wanted to go to New York.
Gordon McRae (Curly) and Shirley Jones were together in the R-H musical "Carousel" also.

And finally, here's a faux pas that might be interesting to your students...when Curly rides through the corn field singing "Oh, What a Beautiful Morning" and sings "the corn is as high as an elephant's eye"...the production crew made the corn WAY TOO HIGH! Check it out. He should be ABOVE the corn tops, but the corn is way higher than him!
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The two love triangles would be Curly, Laurie, and Jud AND Ali Hakkam, Ado Annie, and the cowboy whose name escapes me but sings "Everything's Up to Date in New York City". He was played by Gene Somebody who died last year.

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SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS

I showed this movie to my Middle School Choir. I was afraid it would go over like a lead balloon.... They LOVED it! I never would have believed it! My students range from young 7th grade guys with unchanged voices (they liked the fighting scenes) to 8th grade inner city girls with attitude (they liked the dancing) They cheered when Millie pushed over the table! I had to explain "petting" and "sofa setting" – Gail Noullet

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SOUND OF MUSIC

ALSO SEE: #25 LISTENING/Sound of Music

06/09 Great dance to “Do Re Mi” in train station in Antwerp – a must see
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UE3CNu_rtY&feature=related
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I cut the long dialogue scenes and the opening credits. I leave in the long camera shots of the mountains and country side - my Valley kids have never seen a mountain, let alone the Alps and those giant castles. The kids quickly lose interest in the conversations between Max, Georg and the Baroness, so those are out. We go from "Do Re Mi" to the kids falling out of the rowboat. I skip "I must Have Done Something Good," and usually the reprise of "Sixteen Going on Seventeen." On the last week of school I rearrange my schedule so that the classes are doubled up and each group gets an hour. We finish the movie and have a sing-along. The kids love it, and I imagine the teachers love it even more! -- Ruth Garcia
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My sixth graders are watching "The Sound of Music" right now. We have vocabulary words, places on the map, characters, and historical events tie-ins weekly, plus learning the songs. They really like saying "Aunschluss" and talking about how the Nazis were able to take over the country without a fight. Like all sixth graders, they are a tough bunch to please.....but they seem to get into this movie. We also talk about Julie Andrews' vocal purity, and how the surgery she had a couple of years ago ruined her voice......good lead-in for taking care of their own voices! It's my favorite movie, too, and I tell them about the trip I took in college to visit all of the sites used for the shooting of the movie. I bring in my scrapbook, and they like to see a "young" version of their teacher. Ah, yes........-- Contributed by Kerryn Oliver
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06/06 SOUND OF MUSIC - Study Guide -- Name _______________________________
Background: The Sound of Music is a movie that took place during WWII. It is based on a true story about the Von Trapp family. Much has been changed about the actual Von Trapp Family Singers, but some of the story is true. The location is Salzburg, Austria in the late 1930’s before Austria comes under Nazi rule. When the Nazis took over, soldiers in the Austrian army were expected to join up again for a war that was to begin. Many did not want to fight for the Nazis, but found they had no choice.
1. In the opening scene with Maria, she is singing that the hills are alive with what? __________________________________________________________________
2. Why do the nuns seem to be annoyed with Maria? __________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________
3. What is a “governess” and why do the Von Trapp children need one?____________________ ______________________________________________________________________________
4. How many Von Trapp children are there? _________________________________________
5. How does Captain Von Trapp call his children to him? ______________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________
6. Why does Captain Von Trapp ban music and happiness and laughing? __________________ ______________________________________________________________________________
7. Name at least 4 of Maria’s “Favorite Things.” ______________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
8. Does Maria obey the Captains rules about singing and having fun? _____________________
9. Does it appear that the children like Maria now? ___________________________________
10. What are the syllables Maria taught to help the children with their singing (hint, you will find all of these syllables posted in this room somewhere). ____________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________
11. Does the Baroness that Captain brings home seem to want to have anything to do with the children? _____________________________
12. What organization do we find out Liesl’s “friend” Rolf belongs to? ___________________
13. During this time the Nazi Party is starting to take over Austria. Does Captain Von Trapp want this to happen? ____________________________________________________________
14. What kind of show do the children perform for the Captain, the Baroness and Max? _________________ _____________________________________________________________________________
15. At the party, the children learn a special Austrian dance called the Laendler. Who helps finish the song with Maria? _______________________________________________________
16. Why does Maria leave the Von Trapp house? _____________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________
17. Why does she come back? ____________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________
18. The Captain does get married in this film. Whom does he marry? ____________________ ______________________________________________________________________________
19. When they return from the honeymoon, the Captain tears a flag in two pieces. What kind of flag is it? _____________________________________________________________________
20. Where does the Von Trapp family hide after escaping from the Festival? _______________ ______________________________________________________________________________
21. Who blows the whistle, alerting the guards? ______________________________________
22. Where do we last see the Von Trapp family? _____________________________________ Alison Rohrbach

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WEST SIDE STORY

LESSONS: http://www.lessonplanet.com/lesson-plans/west-side-story/all
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LESSONS (purchase) https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/West-Side-Story-Unit-Lessons-Homework-Tests-Activities-55161
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10/01 West Side Story: When I taught this many years ago with 6th graders, I showed the opening fight scene and deliberately let them laugh at the "fight". I asked them why it didn't seem real. After a quick discussion I told them that the fight was actually a dance. They hadn't realized this. We then watched it again from a choreography perspective and they gained a real appreciation for it.

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MUSICALS: RESOURCES

For performance suggestions, see also #12 Elementary Repertoire

Musicals are a powerful form of storytelling. Teachers might view this format as a great example of multimedia and curriculum integration (music, dance, drama, costumes, art, literature, culture, history) and it might be fun for a class to brainstorm some ongoing classroom activities that touch back on different aspects of a favourite musical. The above Web sites link to story synopses, full libretti, and other information such as book texts, related historical events, author biographies and stage production details of some very popular musicals.

Here's a site my daughter's former chorus teacher sent to me. There are also question/worksheet handouts that go with the movies. She said she did a search with 'musicals' and plentycame up. http://www.teachwithmovies.com

To teach musicals as a prelude, check out these two web sites:
http://www.lesmis.com
This side includes study guides for the musicals. It helps you to teach across the curriculum by incorporating ideas of prejudice, homelessness, the depression, revolutions. etc Also MTI [Music Theatre International at http://www.mtishows.com] has study guides for 10-15 standard musicals which can be purchased. For example, West Side Story deals with parallels with Romeo and Juliet, gang violence, etc.
See also: #8 Church Music, #23 Jazz, #24 Junior High/Middle School Music, #12 Elementary Repertoire
And for specific musicals, see: #25 Listening: [King & I, Phantom of the Opera, Pirates of Penzance, Sound of Music, Stomp, Star Wars)
5/01 Just received my new General Music Catalog and seeeeeeee Pocket Songs on p88-89....Childrens Cassettes, Complete Broadway Shows and more.....George Gershwin,Irving Berlin, Andrew L Webber... Jerome Kern,,Christmas.... etc....They have ... 1.800.346.4448 and www.woodwindbrasswind.com

#33 Opera & Musicals (2024)

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References