Opera Iowa Billy Goats Back for an Encore
Opera Iowa performs Billy Goats Gruff at Moulton.
“We’re rough,” they sang, “We’re tough.” They’re the Billy Goats Gruff of Opera Iowa and last week they were back for multiple performances to the delight of some DMPS elementary grade audiences.
On Thursday 3rd graders from all over the district converged on the auditorium at Central Campus to see the operatic adaptation of the classic children’s tale the troupe performed here last year. Then on Friday afternoon students in grades K-5 at Moulton were treated to a performance all their own.
Opera Iowa is a troupe of young professionals affiliated with the Des Moines Metro Opera. Over the last 30 years nearly 750,000 young people have been its audience, many of them getting their first exposure to operatic story-telling. One of the most innovative programs of its kind in the country, this regional arts education tour features study guides and curriculum-based education workshops as well as performances designed especially for young students.
OI’s version of BGG is set to musical arrangements by Mozart, Rossini and Donizetti. A preshow crash tutorial at Moulton about the ways and means of opera informed the students that a lullaby they are familiar with, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, is set to an arrangement by Mozart of a French melody. When they all shouted “ROSSINI” in unison it sounded like they were clamoring for pasta, mac ‘n cheese perhaps. It was a good warmup for the audience participation portion of the show. Once the bully of the bridge had been overcome and befriended by Lucy, Ernie and Dan; the trio of golden-throated goats in pleated skirts, shorts, neckties and suspenders, the Moulton kids belted the moralistic refrain right on cue:
“We must be fair and kind and true…to each and every one, no matter who…”
Bravo, everyone! Twinkle, twinkle, little stars…
