Saratoga Opera – Opera-to-Go

Program Description

In 2019, between February 25th and March 29th, Opera Saratoga will present PINOCCHIO for School Audiences. This whimsical 40-minute adaptation of the classic story by Carlo Collodi is the perfect introduction to opera for elementary school students, featuring music from operas by Mozart, Donizetti, Verdi, Offenbach, and Pergolesi, adapted by John Davies, and sung in English. Stepping into a new and unknown world, Pinocchio is deceived by the Wolf and the Cat and persuaded to disobey his father by skipping school in order to meet Dr. Dulcamara, an evil puppeteer. Realizing how unique Pinocchio is, Dulcamara captures him, with the hope of having him perform alongside his miraculous mechanical doll, Olympia. When Pinocchio and Olympia become friends, Dulcamara breaks Olympia in a temper tantrum. Pinocchio escapes and runs home, where he confesses to his father that he has been telling lies and disobeying him. Pinocchio’s father is grateful for Pinocchio’s honesty, forgives him, and agrees to help rescue Olympia. Pinocchio and his father lead the authorities to Wolf, Cat and Dulcamara, and the bad guys are punished. As Pinocchio resolves to always tell the truth and share his problems with trusted grownups, he and his father head home to repair Olympia and begin life anew as a family of three.

Through this adaptation of the story of Pinocchio, students will be exposed to operatic music and classical singing, while exploring important themes of self acceptance, the importance of respecting and listening to parents, and of course, telling the truth. Pinocchio is appropriate for Pre-K to Grades 6 audiences.