Introduce your Family to the world of Opera with these 3 Books (from the Pittsburgh Opera’s Library of Educational Resources!)
I fell in love with opera thanks to the wonderful spontaneity of my mother on a cold drizzly day in Pittsburgh, PA.
We were driving through the downtown of the city (probably on our way back from my sister’s violin lesson), and the local classical radio station we had on happened to mention that there were exactly 3 tickets left that night to the Pittsburgh Opera’s production of Verdi’s La Traviata.
My mother decided that was sign enough, so that night found my sister, my mom and I sitting in the last 3 seats of the Pittsburgh Opera house, only a few rows from the stage.
For the next 3 hours our senses were engaged in a glorious fusion of theater and song, and we were transfixed.
Gorgeous sets and costumes created spectacular visuals while under the stage the orchestra carved a foundation for the singers lines to soar across, expressing the greatest depths and heights of human emotion through the sheer breadth of the human voice.
We all three fell in love with opera that night, and opera remained a fixture all throughout my childhood from that night on. And though I would later choose to pursue music as a professional pianist, opera has remained integral to my professional life as a performer and educator:
In high school I performed in the chorus for a production of La Boheme, featuring Metropolitan Opera Soloists
My sister ended up becoming an opera singer (in part inspired by this first exposure!) and I helped accompany her for auditions
In 2011 I accompanied opera students in Salzburg Austria, birthplace of Mozart (who wrote many of the world’s most beloved operas!)
At age 14 I gave up all other music genres during Lent so I could do a deep dive into the world of opera (nerd alert?? 🧐😂)
In 2010 I interned for the Pittsburgh Opera Education Program and helped create educational materials on opera that were used at over 100 schools in the Pittsburgh area!
Opera is a magnificent genre of classical music and luckily for us, it has never been more accessible:
Great opera companies are in every major city and offer affordable options for kids and families; an extensive library of past performances by the Metropolitan Opera is available to watch online (the Met also has regular screenings at movie theaters worldwide, check out the schedule here!); and there are also wonderful books written on the topic to get your home well versed on this rich genre.
Here are 3 Wonderful Books that will help introduce your family to the world of opera. These were actually sourced from the Pittsburgh Opera Company’s library of resources! (during the last day of my internship, I was given a lovely errand: go pick any educational books you want to take home with you for free!🙌🏻)
The Barefoot Book of Stories from the Opera
This book provides such a beautiful, engaging introduction for children! It is exquisitely illustrated, with vibrant colors and enchanting sketches of opera characters, opera houses, and plot storylines bringing to life the wonder and magic of opera. It begins with a brief introduction on what opera is and how it originated, shows a “behind the scenes” look at the nuts and bolts of what goes on on under and behind the stage, then tells the stories of 6 beloved operas: The Magic Flute, The Little Sweep, Hansel and Gretel, The Flying Dutchman, La Cenerentola, Orpheus and Eurydice and Christmas Eve. The last section has a lovely glossary of famous opera houses and composer bios accompanied by beautiful illustrations. You know it’s a keeper when an adult gets riveted and caught in the pages of a children’s book….(💁🏼♀️)
Bravo! Brava! A Night at the Opera
This is also a really engaging introduction for kids, but it’s done in a more entertaining, humorous style and focuses less on opera stories and more on the history, definition and makings of opera. Very well-drawn, humorous sketches accompany details on how opera began, how the composition process is done, the geography of where opera took off, the different roles of people in the opera business, and so much more. It’s chalk full of information and learning, and because of the engaging way the text and drawings are laid out, it makes the whole learning process truly a breeze and very fun for all ages.
Essential Library: A Critic’s Guide to the 100 Most Important Works and the Best Recordings
This one’s great for an encyclopedic collection of opera synopsis and reviews to have on hand. Written by the chief classical music critic for the New York Times, Anthony Tommasini provides really approachable and well written information about 100 of the world’s most famous operas (each opera synopsis/review is only about 2-4 pages). This one offers a more advanced, sophisticated style of writing on operas + composer backgrounds, and would be great for adults and families with older ages!
If you’re ready to jump into listening to more classical music in your home but don’t know where to start, I have a library of free printables that offers listening lists, calendars, playlists, and activities. To receive all free resources, simply sign up for my newsletter, and an email will arrive in your inbox with the password to access the entire free library.
Click below to receive all free resources, and start giving your child the gift of classical music!
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