Portland Opera to Go

For more than 20 years, Portland Opera to Go (nicknamed POGO) has shared opera experiences with communities around the region.

Up Next: Cinderella

This fall, Portland Opera will present a 50-minute adaptation of Rossini's La Cenerentola for the 2023 Portland Opera to Go tour. Full of whimsy, comedy, and delight, Cinderella is the perfect first opera for kids and adults alike. 

This lively adaptation of Cinderella is ideal for elementary school students, with modular scenery and age-appropriate staging. In addition to the performance, Portland Opera offers an arts integrated curriculum and classroom visits.

Learn more about how to bring Cinderella to your school below. 

Distance Learning: Opera Elements

In response to the pandemic, Portland Opera has partnered with Portland Public Schools and Gresham-Barlow School District to create Opera Elements, a series of 3 virtual lesson plans and activities for students.  Made up of both synchronous and asynchronous activities, these lesson plans focus on 3 main topics: the voice, the building blocks of opera, and composing.

Access Opera Elements here!

Students will have the opportunity to learn more about the different voice types with the Portland Opera Resident Artists and Manager of Education and Community Engagement, Alexis Hamilton, create their own arias, and learn more about composing from Portland Opera’s Co-Artistic Advisor and Composer, Damien Geter.

How do you POGO?

Each year, the Portland Opera to Go company performs 50-minute versions of operas for students. These are sung in English, or English and Spanish as bilingual productions. Some favorite past productions have been The Magic Flute, Beatrice, Hansel and Gretel, The Elixir of Love, The Barber of Seville, and La Bohème. The company travels over 5,000 miles throughout Oregon and southern Washington to spark the imaginations of students, educators, and teachers. So far, more than 275,000+ people have engaged with Portland Opera to Go. 

 “The children loved it. It never ceases to amaze me how well the children engage... And it does my heart good to see [them] enjoy it so much. By allowing the children to interact, you give them a voice” 
- An educator from Ontario, Oregon

Performances happen in school gyms, libraries, cafeterias, classrooms, and community centers—all with full costumes and portable scenery. Integrated in-class workshops are available as part of the POGO experience, as well as teacher guides highlighting curricular connections aligned with state standards.

We believe that the arts are an essential part of every student's development. Our program focuses on schools with economic and geographic barriers to accessing performing arts experiences. Over 50% of schools visited are Title I schools in rural communities. We've shared POGO performances in Oregon and Washington—as well as parts of California, and Idaho.


Can I see POGO with my family, rather than at school?

Every year, we share two performances of POGO at The Hampton Opera Center in Portland. Families can easily park, and attend this friendly performance together. Tickets for Cinderella will go on sale later this year.


Can I share POGO with my school or community?

We would love to share the magic of opera with you! If you are an educator interested in bringing Portland Opera to Go or Opera Elements to your students, please contact Alexis Hamilton, Portland Opera’s Manager of Education and Community Engagement by emailing ahamilton@Portlandopera.org

Support this program. Make a gift today.

POGO Champions

Portland Opera to Go is generously supported by The Standard, Marie Lamfrom Charitable Foundation, PGE Foundation, John & Carol Steele, and the BNSF Railway Foundation with additional support from the James F. and Marion L. Miller Foundation, Regional Arts & Culture Council, and the Arts Education & Access Fund and from individuals like you, who want to see this program grow and thrive. 

With additional support from:

Portland Opera appreciates the ongoing support of our generous donors, The Collins Foundation, James F. and Marion L. Miller Foundation, Oregon Arts Commission, Oregon Community Foundation, Regional Arts and Culture Council, including support from the City of Portland, Multnomah County, and the Arts Education & Access Fund, special support from The CARES Act Coronavirus Relief Fund, and The Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG) program.