Opera for the Young brings live, professional opera to elementary school audiences. Each year, OFTY reaches over 75,000 elementary school children throughout the Midwest to ignite an enthusiasm for opera. All productions are fully staged, sung in English and adapted especially for kids.
OFTY's original adaptation of Rusalka unites Dvořák's lush music with the touching tale of a young mermaid. Rusalka yearns to become human because she's in love with the Prince. Rusalka's father, the Sea King, warns her about people, but the mermaid goes to Jezibaba, the sea witch, for a magic spell. Rusalka exchanges her fish tail for legs at a price: she won't be understood by humans. This proves to be a challenging barrier for the Prince who, after bringing Rusalka to his castle, is pursued by a Foreign Princess. Complications abound, aided and untangled by Creatures of the Reef played by students from Kegonsa Elementary. Understanding and accepting difference is a powerful subject highlighted in this tale of magical romance, loss, and the redemptive power of love.
Tickets: $5 at the door
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