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Portland Opera To Go

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Each year Portland Opera To Go takes an opera on the road, sharing the power of opera, music, and theater with schools and communities throughout Oregon and SW Washington. It’s not necessarily the easiest thing in the world, as you might imagine. But it’s one of the most rewarding . . . for us and for the thousands upon thousands of students who get to experience live opera, many for the first time.

And this blog will give you a first-hand view from the performers themselves of what it’s like when Opera hits the road!

Here’s a link to more information on the tour and the program.

Portland Opera To Go's Blog

Journal Entry #2

Submitted by Portland Opera To Go on Fri, 02/01/2008 - 13:20

POGO took a trip to an alternative high school named The Miller Education Center. These were some of the neatest teens and being at this school reminded me of how much I miss my work as a teen counselor. For some of them, it was their first opera. The opera ends with Rodolpho screaming Mimi's name on a high G and then sobbing over her dead body. Pretty emotional huh? Well despite this, I heard that one of the girls cried not during this, but instead during Colline's (the bass) aria where he decides to sell his coat for Mimi's medicine. I guess the tenor can't ALWAYS win.

1 comment

Journal Entry #1

Submitted by Portland Opera To Go on Fri, 02/01/2008 - 13:19

Today POGO participated in our first teaching class sessions along with our 3rd Bohème for a school consisting of K-5 students. The students turned out to be a bit rowdy during the class teaching segment, but I chalked it up to their enthusiasm for the upcoming show. The Bohème went really well and the students seemed to really enjoy it. I must admit, I did think the subject matter of Bohème might have been too mature this age group. However, they were a really good audience. Afterwards we started loading the set (that's right, we do it all and sing too). As we were doing this, I noticed one of the students standing off to the side watching us. He was dressed like any other stereotypical "cool" young guy in black jeans that barely hung onto his waist and a black sports jacket 2-3 sizes bigger than he was. He looked at me and asked, "You were in that opera right?" "Yep!", I replied to which he responded, "That was really cool. Thanks for coming." Then, he turned and walked away throwing jabs at the air like he was sparring with an imaginary boxing partner. I thought to myself, "Now that's why we're doing what we do."

Bohemians - The First Day

Submitted by Portland Opera To Go on Wed, 01/30/2008 - 15:49

The first day of the first week on the tour! We successfully unloaded and assembled the portable La Bohème set in a gymnasium for two great performances for grades 3 through 8. After our first performance we were invited to chow down at the canteen, aka the cafeteria, with fifth graders who were in the process of writing, designing, and producing their own opera by the end of the school year. We Bohemians spoke to two classes in Q & A style and answered some very good questions brought up by these curious fifth graders such as, "how do you get over stage fright if you're shy?", and "what happens if you mess up on stage?" These guys & gals are serious about their opera! They want to do their own show and do it RIGHT! I can't wait to see the final product from these clever and creative students.

After our second showing of the day we struck the set and somehow managed to time the packing of the truck just as a torrential downpour dumped on us. You can see the video to view us looking like drowned opera rats!