Opera Guild of Northern Virginia
Making Opera Accessible and Affordable for Children in Northern Virginia
Making Opera Accessible and Affordable for Children in Northern Virginia
OGNV's Links
Thank you to our Sponsors
If you are having any problems with the website please contact our webmaster Mike Becvar at operaguild@ sirbudproductions.com.
Thomas Jefferson Middle School Theater
125 S. Old Glebe Road
Arlington, VA 22204
Tuesday, April 23; Wednesday, April 24; & Friday, April 26, 2013
10:00 AM -- School Performances
Tickets are $4 for students
Saturday, April 27, 2013 at 3:00 PM —- Public Performance
Tickets are $4 under 18 yrs; $6 over 18 yrs
We have some additional changes that need to be made to the Monkey performances.
The Monday, May 20, 2013 performances will be at 10:00 AM and 3:45 PM.
No performance on Tuesday, May 21.
On Wednesday May 22, the last performance in Alexandria will take place at 10:00 AM.
The George Washington National Masonic Memorial Theater
101 Callahan Drive
Alexandria, VA 22301
Monday, May 20 at 10:00 AM and 3:45 PM and Wednesday May 22 10:00 AM
These are School Performances and Tickets are $4 for students
Tickets are $4 under 18 years; $6 over 18 years
Roberto X. Rodriguez
April / May 2013
Monkey See Monkey Do is a one-act opera by award winning Texas born composer Roberto X. Rodriguez.
It is based on the classic folk tale of the Hat Seller and the Monkeys. The opera is derived from
the Mexican version of the old folktale and the libretto, written in English, incorporates sections
of the Spanish language. This is the 4th most frequently performed modern-day opera for students in
America.
This children’s opera was created for family audiences and is a stirring musical and visual treat.
The score blends elements of Mexican traditional folk melodies with the contemporary style of the
composer. The musical score encourages audience participation, the combination of English and
Spanish is ideal for the introduction of language study, and the exposure to the Mexican culture
fits perfectly into any humanities curriculum.
There will be a brief pre-performance orchestra introductory skit & talk and a special welcome from
Alturas Duo (a well-known duo featuring Andean and Chilean tunes.) There will also be
a Q &A session after the opera. The show will run for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Surtitles will be used.
Information: mcdm1@verizon.net 703-536-7557
We invite you to download our Study Guide for Monkey See Monkey Do:
Study Guide Part 1(PDF)
Study Guide Part 2(PDF)
Kenmore Middle School
200 S. Carlin Springs Rd
Arlington, VA 22207
October 23 at 3:00 pm
October 24 – 26 at 10:15 am
Tickets will be $4 for students
Thomas Jefferson Community Theater
125 S. Old Glebe Road Arlington, VA 22204
By Carlo Collodi
Opera by Carl Zytowski
Music Adapted from Rossini
October / November 2009
This fall, the Opera Theatre of Northern Virginia will once again put on its production
of Pinocchio.
Pinocchio starts out as a purely free, independent, impersonal spirit, but he has a lot
of learning to do before he can become a real boy. Most of us know the story of Pinocchio
from the Disney movie. While this is a classic, it fails to capture some of the charm of
the original story. The story is not merely about a magical, naughty puppet, but it is
also an allegory about families. Pinocchio runs away, falls in with thieves, fights with
his friends, meets a monster and so much more, all the while, he doesn’t know or care how
much his father, Geppetto, loves him. In the end, Pinocchio realizes this, returns his
father's love and he finally becomes a real boy. Collodi, a 19th century, Italian
journalist, wanted to write a children's story that emphasizes the traditional Italian
value of the importantance of family that he grew up with. "Who understands the beauty
of Pinocchio understands Italy."
See the Events page for more information about the upcoming performances of Pinocchio.
We invite you to download our Study Guide for Pinocchio:
Study Guide(PDF)
Abridged version, based on Rossini's La Cenerentola
Thomas Jefferson Community Theater
125 S. Old Glebe Road Arlington, VA 22204
October 26, 2008 at 3:00pm
November 1, 2008 at 4:00pm
School Group Performances:
Tuesday, October 28 at 10:00am
Wednesday, October 29 at 10:00am
Thursday, October 30 at 10:00am
We invite you to download our Study Guide for Cinderella:
Study Guide(PDF)
In 2008, the Opera Theatre of Northern Virginia produced Cinderella, an abridged English version
of Rossini’s La Cenerentola adapted by the Chicago Lyric Opera for students. The 60-minute
production was accompanied by orchestra. An opening narration by one of the characters will
help students follow the story, and overheads will enable students to follow the words
being sung. A pre-show presentation will help students learn about set construction, opera
audience demeanor, operatic voices, and the many skills and crafts that are needed to
produce an opera.
Engelbert Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel
A Children's Opera by Arthur Rackel
Thomas Jefferson Community Theater
125 S. Old Glebe Road Arlington, VA
TUESDAY, October 16 at 10 am
WEDNESDAY, October 17 at 10 am
THURSDAY, October 18 at 10 am
SUNDAY, October 14 at 2 pm
SATURDAY, October 20 at 4 and 7 pm
We invite you to download our extensive Teacher's Guide for Hansel and Gretel:
(Part 1)
(Part 2)
(Part 3)
Humperdinck's Opera Hansel & Gretel is known throughout the world as the number one
children's opera. It will be performed not only in Arlington, VA in 2007, but at the
Metropolitan Opera in New York City as well. Kelly Ferjutz writes that "It is wonderfully
simplistic and awesomely complex, all at the same time. Based on a fairy tale by the
Grimm Brothers, to music that could have been written by the great Richard Wagner, it
easily transports the listener to 'once-upon-a-time-land' where magic is the order of the
day." Although the original fairy tale is rather dark, the operatic version lightens the
story, turning it into an adventure.
By Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
English Version by Donald Pippin
First Produced by Pocket Opera, San Francisco
| Keith Hudspeth | Tamino |
| Kelly Smith | Pamina |
| Kelly Smith | First Lady |
| Katherine Osborne | Second Lady |
| Bailey Whiteman | Third Lady |
| David E. Prager | Sarastro |
| Catherine Carlin | Queen of the Night |
| Robert W. Tudor | Papageno |
| Katherine Osborne | Papagena |
The Magic Flute is a real adventure story. It tells the tale of a kidnapped daughter and a young prince who goes to the rescue equipped with a magic flute. Tamino, the noble prince, must rescue the beautiful Pamina with the help of his friend Papageno. She has been kidnapped by her evil mother, the Queen of the Night. And then there is Sarastro, an elderly wizzard. Is he really evil, or is he trying to help Tamino? Will Tamino rescue Pamina? Will Papageno get his Papagena? There's magic, there's danger and there's love! Mozart composed The Magic Flute after his friend Emmanuel Schikaneder asked him to compose a German opera for the common people to put on in Schikaneder's theater. Mozart was thrilled at the idea of writing in his native language. The Magic Flute was performed on September 30, 1791 at Schikaneder's theater. Schikaneder even played the part of Papageno.
| G. Cookson | Piano |
| J. Hughes | Violin I |
| S. Kelly | Cello |
| D. Lonkevich | Flute |
| L. Smith | Violin II |
| S. Wetherbee | Viola |
| J. Niles | Conducter |
| D. Toulson | Stage Dir. |
| R. Newman | Stage Man. |
| A. Fedorcha | Lighting |
| J. Davis | Set Design |
| D. Christie | Set Const. |
| P. MacFarland | Costumes |
| T. Madison | Tech. Chief |
| J. Hughes | Light Board |
| Pandora Affemann |
| Caroline Benitah |
| Taylor Barber |
| Lauren Bomgardner |
| Shalonda Hardy |
| Addie Murphy |
| Anne Murphy |
| Anne Norland |
| Abigail Summerville |
By Carlo Collodi
Opera by Carl Zytowski
Music Adapted from Rossini
| Lewis Freeman | Gepetto |
| Katherine Osborne | Pinnochio |
| Marlissa Eaton | Cricket |
| Keith Hudspeth | Cat |
| Don Phillip Bicoy | Fox |
| Cynthia Ballentine | Hostess |
| Amanda Gosier | Blue-Haired Fairy |
| Colin Eaton | Owl |
| Michael Nansel | Crow |
| Eugene Galvin | Whale |
Pinocchio starts out as a purely free, independent, impersonal spirit, but he has a lot of learning to do before he can become a real boy. Most of us know the story of Pinocchio from the Disney movie. While this is a classic, it fails to capture some of the charm of the original story. The story is not merely about a magical, naughty puppet, but it is also an allegory about families. Pinocchio runs away, falls in with thieves, fights with his friends, meets a monster and so much more, all the while, he doesn’t know or care how much his father, Geppetto, loves him. In the end, Pinocchio realizes this, returns his father's love and he finally becomes a real boy. Collodi, a 19th century, Italian journalist, wanted to write a children's story that emphasizes the traditional Italian value of the importantance of family that he grew up with. “Who understands the beauty of Pinocchio understands Italy.”
| G. Cookson | Piano |
| D. Lawler | Harmonium |
| G. Peachey | Piano |
| J. Niles | Conductor |
| E. Galvin | Stage Director |
| E. Bell | Stage Man. |
| E. Thomas | Set Design |
| D. Christie | Set Const |
| L. Joslin | Light Design |
| T. Madison | Tech. Chief |
| J. Hughes | Light Board |
| Kitty Baker | Christina Camacho |
| Maura Cunningham | Catherine Devlin |
| Kathryn Galvin | Peter Kentz |
| Jackie Kleger | Gretchen Lonergan |
| Hannah Lutz | Margaret McEnery |
| Natalie Minehart | Adeline Murphy |
| Annie Norland | Leigh Shannon |
| Robert Skonberg | Abigail Summerville |
| Colleen Walton |
By Sam Swope
Opera by Ronald C. Perera
| Peter Joshua Burroughs | General Pinch |
| Kathy Hankins | Mrs. Pinch |
| Elizabeth Spies | Joy |
| Katherine C. Osborne | Boboolie Araboolie |
| Cynthia Ballentine | Momoolie Araboolie |
| Don Phillip Bicoy | Popoolie Araboolie |
On Liberty Street, where all the houses look alike, General Pinch and his skinny wife are in charge. Whenever it appears that anyone is having fun, the general threatens to call in the army; in this way, he keeps the neighborhood quiet and dull. Enter the Araboolies, undefinable creatures of lively, fun-loving temperament and psychedelic color combinations. The Araboolies are "not the neatest people in the world, truth to tell," for they put furniture in the yard and even watch TV outside. When General Pinch makes good on his threats and calls in the army to vanquish the group, a girl named Joy resists. Her efforts pay off; the Pinches are carted off instead of the Araboolies. The many-sided satire on fascism is wordy and repetitive, and the only focus on a child character--Joy--occurs two-thirds of the way through. But the messages of freedom, individualism and tolerance are strong.
| G. Cookson | Piano |
| D. Spinelli | Percussion |
| J. Niles | Conductor |
| L. Durham | Stage Dir. |
| E. Deiss | Stage Man. |
| A. Fedorcha | Light Des. |
| G. Daughtrey | Lighting |
| J. Davis | Set Design |
| D. Christie | Set Const. |
| P. McFarland | Costumes |
| T. Madison | Tech. Chief |
| J. Hughes | Light Board |
| A. Sprague | Wardrobe |
| Kitty Baker | Erin Gallagher |
| Carmen Izurieta | Rafaela Izurieta |
| Ana-Beth Lawler | Muriel MacDonald |
| Shannon McGovern | Mariah Murphy |
| Olivia Murphy | Colleen Walton |
| Directed by Judy Richer | |
By George Seldon
Book and Lyrics by Timothy Mason
Music by Mel Marvin
| Ole Hass | Tucker Mouse |
| Kathryn Hankins | Mama Bellini |
| Don Phillip Bicoy | Papa Bellini |
| Muriel MacDonald | Mario Bellini |
| Emily Marsh | Chester Cricket |
| Lewis Freeman | Harry Cat |
| Claire Elizabeth Ross | Janie Lebovski |
| Carmen Mason | Mrs. Smedley |
After Chester, a cricket, arrives in the Times Square subway station from his native Connecticut via a picnic basket, he takes up residence in the Bellinis' newsstand. There tiny Chester is lucky enough to find three good friends: a little boy named Mario, whose parents run the unsuccessful newsstand; a fast-talking Broadway mouse called Tucker; and Tucker's pal, Harry Cat. Between escapades in New York City, the four somehow manage to bring success to the almost bankrupt newsstand.
| G. Cookson | Piano |
| D. Spinelli | Percussionist |
| C. Youstra | Synthesizer |
| J. Niles | Conductor |
| N. Canty | Stage Dir. |
| K. Preissner | Stage Man. |
| A. Fedorcha | Light Design |
| T. Madison | Tech. Chief |
| Ingrid Cowan | Myrtle Farrington |
| Ronnie Hardcastle | Jonhanna Park |
| Ben Robles | Joshua Saxon |
| Cristina Camacho | Grechen Lonergan |
| Madeline Lonergan | Carmen E. Izurieta |
| Rafaela Izurieta | Patrick Low |
| Vanessa T. Ortega | Claire Elizabeth Ross |
| Tim Russell |
Based on a Children's Classic by E.B. White
Music and Lyrics by Charles Strouse
Book by Joseph Robinett
| Sarah Blaze | Charlotte |
| Joel Weiss | Wilbur |
| Jennifer Timberlake | Fern Arable |
| Kathy Hankins | Edith Zuckerman |
| Ben Robles | Homer Zuckerman |
| Bon Bicay | John Arable |
| Samantha Meeks | Martha Arable |
| Ronnie Hardcastle | Avery Arable |
Charlotte's Web opens the door to a magical world, which a young girl named Fern finds herself a part of. Fern spends her free time with Wilbur the pig whom she loves and the other barn animals who play a large part in the life of Wilbur. Charlotte A. Cavatica, the large grey spider, befriends Wilbur and helps him deal with the shocking news that his life will end as bacon on someone’s plate. Charlotte goes as far as coming up with an interesting plan that only this spider could carry out with the help of Templeton the rat (who never does anything unless there is something in it for himself) to help Wilbur escape death.
| G. Cookson | Piano |
| J. Connell | Percussion |
| G. Fulginin | Syntheszier |
| J. Christenson | Staging |
| J. Chiang | Costumes |
| M. Haws | Stage Man. |
| D. Coyey | Light Design |
| J. Hughes | Light Tech. |
| R. Johnson | Musical Asst |
| J. Niles | Conductor |
| M. Wujcik | Set Design |
| Don Bicoy | Kathy Hankins |
| Ronnie Hardcastle | Meredith Megles |
| Tamara Reynolds | Ron Robles |
Opera by Charles Strouse
Based on a tale by Hans Christian Anderson
| Adalsteinn Einarsson | Storyteller |
| Cathryn Greigg | Nightingale |
| Jeanne Hisle | Maid |
| Jim Li | Emperor |
Emperor of China, sent his servants to find the most exquisite songbird in the world. The beautiful song from this dull and insignificant looking bird brought a royal tear to the Emperor's eye. The nightingale was the toast of the royal court until the Emperor of Japan sent a gift. It was a colorful, jeweled, mechanical nightingale. Was the magnificent toy bird much better than the real live nightingale and what will be his fate?
| G. Cookson | Piano |
| C. Youstra | Keyboard |
| J. Niles | Conductor |
| J. Christenson | Stage Director |
| E. Gomberg | Stage Man. |
| K. Karamadis | Set Design |
| M. Meadows | Light Design |
| A. Sprague | Costumes |
Composer and Lyrics Alan Chapman
| Sarah Blaze | Bullwinkle |
| Doug Bowles | Rocket |
| Doug Bowles | Boris |
| Sarah Blaze | Natasha |
| James Jones | Male Chorus |
| Melissa Unkel | Female Chorus |
| G. Cookson | Piano |
| B. Hunter | Percussion |
| J. Niles | Artistic Dir. |
| J. Willen | Producer |
| J. Christenson | Stage Dir. |
| J. Broadbent | Stage Mgr. |
| M. Kachman | Set & Costum |
| J. Hughes | Light. Board |
| J. Niles | Conductor |
| T. Madison | Electrician |