Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Final Opera Performance
I hope everyone had a decent March Break. Planning for this week I have a note that there should be a final performance of the Create-an-Opera program happening at Our Lady of Lourdes sometime soon. Can someone please confirm the date and time of the final performance - we'd love to have someone or some staff from Education attend and cheer on the students! Thank you!
Thursday, February 26, 2009
02.26.09
wow!
it was a great session today...the kids were singing the tunes all afternoon! i will be working on the opera tomorrow morn with the kiddies and also continuing with the props. We also need to start thinking about costumes...it will be fun.
I hope that you are feeling better deann! we look forward to seeing you both (?) on monday afternoon. i have our session booked from 1-2, but if you wish to begin earlier, just let me know so that i can arrange things with the student teacher.
Cheers!
Michael
OLOL
it was a great session today...the kids were singing the tunes all afternoon! i will be working on the opera tomorrow morn with the kiddies and also continuing with the props. We also need to start thinking about costumes...it will be fun.
I hope that you are feeling better deann! we look forward to seeing you both (?) on monday afternoon. i have our session booked from 1-2, but if you wish to begin earlier, just let me know so that i can arrange things with the student teacher.
Cheers!
Michael
OLOL
02.26.09
good morning!
cathy today, and deann and/or cathy on monday from 1-2 works for the class.
michael.
OLOL
cathy today, and deann and/or cathy on monday from 1-2 works for the class.
michael.
OLOL
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Design session!
A very successful session today with Our Lady of Lourdes.! We got right to work when the class came into the library with a brief overview of design first with everyday materials then in opera and movies. The majority of the class came up with some great examples of design in opera referencing the Fidelio production that they all went to recently.
After the quick overview the class broke into groups and we discussed the design possibilities each specific characters had and how they work within the production. A beautiful TTC symbol was constructed expertly by the 4 TTC operators using red construction paper and white felt. Frogs, Fire and locusts were made for the fight scene. Money was made larger than life for the bank, not only canadian dollars though but yens, pounds, pesos and euros as well. ! they looked great. For the morning rush hour of cars roughly half the students made steering wheels and cell phones out of card stock!
A lot happened in a very short amount of time and it was successful because of the students. They were very attentive, respectful and outgoing with the design session. Its going to look great!!
Bravissimo!
Andrew
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
the change
hello!
i could swing something next week if it okay with the librarian. i am looking at the 24th in the morning (9-10), or possibly the lunch hour (11.30-12.30). I will let you know tomorrow.
Michael.
i could swing something next week if it okay with the librarian. i am looking at the 24th in the morning (9-10), or possibly the lunch hour (11.30-12.30). I will let you know tomorrow.
Michael.
Friday, February 13, 2009
02.12.09 @ OLOL
Good morning!
The classroom is so quiet when there are no students in it!
Yesterday's sessions was great...the kids kept talking about it afterwards. They are getting excited and seeing the results of their, as well as Deann's and Cathy's, labour.
As for future dates, I have the following:
February 19 and 26
March 1
I did receive an e-mail from my family back home in New Brunswick. I may have to fly home on Wednesday or Thursday for a bit of a family emergency. I should know before noon today. If I am not available, is it possible to change next Thursday's date?
Divine Intervention to be performed the week before or just after the March Break.
Zoe, this program is great! I am very excited that i booked it when i did last year! Thanks!
Happy Valentine's Day and Happy Friday the 13th!
The classroom is so quiet when there are no students in it!
Yesterday's sessions was great...the kids kept talking about it afterwards. They are getting excited and seeing the results of their, as well as Deann's and Cathy's, labour.
As for future dates, I have the following:
February 19 and 26
March 1
I did receive an e-mail from my family back home in New Brunswick. I may have to fly home on Wednesday or Thursday for a bit of a family emergency. I should know before noon today. If I am not available, is it possible to change next Thursday's date?
Divine Intervention to be performed the week before or just after the March Break.
Zoe, this program is great! I am very excited that i booked it when i did last year! Thanks!
Happy Valentine's Day and Happy Friday the 13th!
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Michael Ryan Ryan Michael
WOW!! Look at you just a' bloggin'!
Congratulations.
Looking forward to seeing you and the Divine Intervention cast tomorrow am!
dd
Congratulations.
Looking forward to seeing you and the Divine Intervention cast tomorrow am!
dd
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Onward ever onward!
Hello from the Divine Intervention team!
Another groovy session with Our Lady of Lourdes students produced our Divine Intervention Opening sequence.
We sang it and staged it and Cathy has some trax already done. If I can upload em I will and if not I'll forward them via email if Cath hasn't already done so! We both have had a hectic week!
Michael Ryan Ryan Michael has the blocking recorded and will work it with the students so that we can move ahead this coming Thursday.
We have a busy morning traffic section that involves the entire cast of 30 or so and there are repeated motifs within it that will carry throughout the Opera.
When we begin our session this week we will run what the students have rehearsed, then move directly into our Bank and from there we will encounter our rival gangs! Should be good!!!
Design: So far our only props are three chairs. They are a bed and then three chairs at a breakfast table.
After that we strike them and they reappear in the Bank.
That's it so far!
dd
Another groovy session with Our Lady of Lourdes students produced our Divine Intervention Opening sequence.
We sang it and staged it and Cathy has some trax already done. If I can upload em I will and if not I'll forward them via email if Cath hasn't already done so! We both have had a hectic week!
Michael Ryan Ryan Michael has the blocking recorded and will work it with the students so that we can move ahead this coming Thursday.
We have a busy morning traffic section that involves the entire cast of 30 or so and there are repeated motifs within it that will carry throughout the Opera.
When we begin our session this week we will run what the students have rehearsed, then move directly into our Bank and from there we will encounter our rival gangs! Should be good!!!
Design: So far our only props are three chairs. They are a bed and then three chairs at a breakfast table.
After that we strike them and they reappear in the Bank.
That's it so far!
dd
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Design elements
Good Morning all!
Okay we have our storyline and here are the locations.
We begin with Jesus at home briefly before heading into busy traffic on his way to work.
There is a busy traffic sequence of drivers and pedestrians.
He has a tough time in line at the TTC.
Then he is off to work at the Bank where he works.
From there we travel outside to the street where the conflict occurs and a big brawl takes place at the corner of Yonge and Bloor!
The Holy Spirit will intervene ----
The brawl includes a huge snowball fight and the snowballs turn into Fire, Locusts, Frogs and Blood!
Good prevails.
It is a dramedy. We have established that while the message is serious, there are lighter comedic moments for relief.
Happy to flush out more if you need more details!
cheerio
deann
Okay we have our storyline and here are the locations.
We begin with Jesus at home briefly before heading into busy traffic on his way to work.
There is a busy traffic sequence of drivers and pedestrians.
He has a tough time in line at the TTC.
Then he is off to work at the Bank where he works.
From there we travel outside to the street where the conflict occurs and a big brawl takes place at the corner of Yonge and Bloor!
The Holy Spirit will intervene ----
The brawl includes a huge snowball fight and the snowballs turn into Fire, Locusts, Frogs and Blood!
Good prevails.
It is a dramedy. We have established that while the message is serious, there are lighter comedic moments for relief.
Happy to flush out more if you need more details!
cheerio
deann
Monday, February 2, 2009
Jesus' Bad Day OR Divine Intervention!!!
Some really good stuff came out of last Thursday's session! I like the name Divine Intervention for the Opera. It is much stronger than just a bad day and the symbolism and drama of becoming 'divine' is much more Operatic in size!!
We have worked a rough story up until our primary conflict between two rival gangs.
In class this week Cathy and I will build all the lyrics for our first section and then, while on our feet, we will then discover our words and music for the Epic Gang Fight and the moment of divinity!
I'll email copies of what we have so far to Cathy and Michael. No need for students to have them yet as they will change and I want them to be free to create and not glued to a page!
Michael if you could review the tableau basics before we get there that would be fab.
"Three levels and a focus. A 'snapshot' that gives a ton of information."
As per your suggestion I'd love to implement that in our opening and have visions of it really adding in other sections to come!
Please congratulate the class on their level of participation. This week it will be even more I know!!! And THANK YOU for the name tags!
dd
We have worked a rough story up until our primary conflict between two rival gangs.
In class this week Cathy and I will build all the lyrics for our first section and then, while on our feet, we will then discover our words and music for the Epic Gang Fight and the moment of divinity!
I'll email copies of what we have so far to Cathy and Michael. No need for students to have them yet as they will change and I want them to be free to create and not glued to a page!
Michael if you could review the tableau basics before we get there that would be fab.
"Three levels and a focus. A 'snapshot' that gives a ton of information."
As per your suggestion I'd love to implement that in our opening and have visions of it really adding in other sections to come!
Please congratulate the class on their level of participation. This week it will be even more I know!!! And THANK YOU for the name tags!
dd
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Thursday!
Hi everyone!
I'll be in at the school tomorrow morning ready to build our opera libretto and storyline!
Please get clear about the way your opera begins, WHO are the people involved, comedy vs. tragedy and the conflict in the story.
We can work out how it ends on our feet in class!
MichaelRyanRyanMichael, tomorrow is the day we'll need you to be scribe and take our words down. I can spin them into a typed libretto later on.
Looking forward to seeing you all!
dd
I'll be in at the school tomorrow morning ready to build our opera libretto and storyline!
Please get clear about the way your opera begins, WHO are the people involved, comedy vs. tragedy and the conflict in the story.
We can work out how it ends on our feet in class!
MichaelRyanRyanMichael, tomorrow is the day we'll need you to be scribe and take our words down. I can spin them into a typed libretto later on.
Looking forward to seeing you all!
dd
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Sunday, January 25, 2009
From Cathy
Absolutely wonderful session today with the Grade 7/8 class of Michael Ryan at Our Lady Of Lourdes. The students were attentive and participated wonderfully throughout the session. They had attended FIDELIO last night, so be began the session with a discuss of their observations and feelings about the performance. After a vocal warm-up, we reviewed five story ideas created by the students. Next we discussed sustained sounds and rhythm, and as I started to set up a drum loop keyboard one of the students improvised a vocal motif and text. From that motif we worked collaboratively to create a chorus and descant idea that will be part of our opera. After the class I had a brief visit with their string teacher to get an idea of their level of playing ability, as the students have expressed an interest in playing as well as singing in our piece.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
This Thursday
On behalf of Cathy HELLO! and hope you are all jazzing on your ideas for our opera because first thing Thursday morning Cathy will be in to start setting your libretto and lyrics! Don't forget if you play an instrument to tell her!
On Monday the 26th I'll be back in and we will review your session with Cathy and begin to put it on it's feet. Check back here after your session on Thursday for helpful notes from Cathy and some reminders for Monday!!
See you soon!
Deann
On Monday the 26th I'll be back in and we will review your session with Cathy and begin to put it on it's feet. Check back here after your session on Thursday for helpful notes from Cathy and some reminders for Monday!!
See you soon!
Deann
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Yahoo Day One!
What a great way to start our creation process!
Cathy and myself have the good fortune to be able to drive to and from our gig at the school.On the way in we talk about the class ahead and stress about traffic. On the way HOME! WELL! We could not stop talking about what a great experience we had at the school today and what a respectful, cool, creative and smart bunch of young people we get to work with!
Today we dove into the world of opera in the gorgeous library space with the enthusiastic support of teacher Michael Ryan.
We discussed opera form, terminology, process, what to expect over the next 6 weeks of each and then YES! we got busy and brainstormed our opera ideas, improvised with music, made some discoveries and set down the work for the coming week.
Four current themes: Life in Toronto (neighborhood)
Gangs and Guns
Morning Forever
Jesus
We spoke of dramatic conflict, Light versus Dark/Good versus Evil, Jesus Gang (the disciples),
too little daylight.
Comedy or Tragedy?
The challenge for this week:
Using the themes above, write 2 or three story ideas with a clear beginning, middle (big dramatic conflict), resolution?and end.
This class is talented and there are many string players. There are multiple languages available to us. There are dancers!
So don't forget to incorporate your talents and put them to masterful use in our Opera!
Cathy sends her hellos and like me is looking forward to next week at Our Lady of Lourdes.
Deann
Cathy and myself have the good fortune to be able to drive to and from our gig at the school.On the way in we talk about the class ahead and stress about traffic. On the way HOME! WELL! We could not stop talking about what a great experience we had at the school today and what a respectful, cool, creative and smart bunch of young people we get to work with!
Today we dove into the world of opera in the gorgeous library space with the enthusiastic support of teacher Michael Ryan.
We discussed opera form, terminology, process, what to expect over the next 6 weeks of each and then YES! we got busy and brainstormed our opera ideas, improvised with music, made some discoveries and set down the work for the coming week.
Four current themes: Life in Toronto (neighborhood)
Gangs and Guns
Morning Forever
Jesus
We spoke of dramatic conflict, Light versus Dark/Good versus Evil, Jesus Gang (the disciples),
too little daylight.
Comedy or Tragedy?
The challenge for this week:
Using the themes above, write 2 or three story ideas with a clear beginning, middle (big dramatic conflict), resolution?and end.
This class is talented and there are many string players. There are multiple languages available to us. There are dancers!
So don't forget to incorporate your talents and put them to masterful use in our Opera!
Cathy sends her hellos and like me is looking forward to next week at Our Lady of Lourdes.
Deann
Friday, January 9, 2009
Cathy & Deann - I'm glad to hear that you're back for another round of Create-an-Operas.
Michael - I'm thrilled that you've decided to do this program with your students. You're certainly ready for this challenge!
Zoë has put many resources on the blog for you:
- a CAO Teacher Resource Guide - with an idea of some of the activities that might happen week to week, basic materials needed etc.
- Photo Release form - please ensure that all the forms are signed and returned to Zoë by the end of the program.
- additional websites or documents will be posted in the coming weeks.
Best of luck to you!
Katherine
Michael - I'm thrilled that you've decided to do this program with your students. You're certainly ready for this challenge!
Zoë has put many resources on the blog for you:
- a CAO Teacher Resource Guide - with an idea of some of the activities that might happen week to week, basic materials needed etc.
- Photo Release form - please ensure that all the forms are signed and returned to Zoë by the end of the program.
- additional websites or documents will be posted in the coming weeks.
Best of luck to you!
Katherine
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