SING ME A STORY
Availability: SEPTEMBER 24th - NOVEMBER 2nd, 2024 and MARCH 10th - APRIL 30th, 2025
Length: 45 minutes (35 minutes + 10 minutes Q&A) Ages: K-5 Curriculum Guide Available
To book a performance at your school or library, please email Education Director Lyndsay Moy at [email protected]!
We will always try to work with your budget!
Availability: SEPTEMBER 24th - NOVEMBER 2nd, 2024 and MARCH 10th - APRIL 30th, 2025
Length: 45 minutes (35 minutes + 10 minutes Q&A) Ages: K-5 Curriculum Guide Available
To book a performance at your school or library, please email Education Director Lyndsay Moy at [email protected]!
We will always try to work with your budget!
Every year, the Indianapolis Opera Education Department creates a brand new children's opera to share with the youngest members of our Hoosier community, along with their teachers and families. These operas are a part of our Sing Me A Story series, which focuses on bringing the power of opera to elementary school children of all backgrounds.
Often inspired by fairy tales and fables, each children's opera has a moral at the center its story. Children are not only exposed to the thrill of live opera singing, but they are also given the opportunity to learn about important topics like bullying, overcoming fears, acceptance, and making new friends.
This year's opera, Figaro! The Bunny of Seville, is a woodland retelling of Rossini's famous comedic opera The Barber of Seville (ala Bug Bunny fame). Students will join Figaro, the clever bunny barber of Seville, as she helps her friend the Count win the affections of the brilliant Rosina and thwart the plans of the frustrating Bartolo. A bite-sized version of this comedy classic, this show is filled with catchy tunes and silly antics, and it teaches children about the importance of honesty.
THE STORY OF FIGARO! THE BUNNY OF SEVILLE:
Figaro, the local "hare" stylist in the Forest of Seville, is a very clever bunny. Animals from all over seek her help and advice, so she has become known for her imaginative solutions to the zaniest of problems. At the moment, the forest is abuzz with animals getting ready for tonight's Seville Soiree. Figaro knows everyone around, so when her friend Almaviva comes by the enlist her help in getting to know a new neighbor and ask this new friend to the dance, she is ready to help!
Almaviva, a squirrel, is actually the Count and new leader of the Forest of Seville. He's still getting to know all of the animals in the forest, so he likes to disguise himself as a normal everyday squirrel, Lindoro, as he roams around the forest. One day during his travels, Almaviva see a lovely squirrel, Rosina, who would he would very much like to get to know and take to the Seville Soiree, but there is a problem! A shifty fox named Bartolo is alway hovering around Rosina. It turns out that Bartolo is Rosina's landlord and like to boss her around. Because he is such a nuisance, Rosina is forced to hide away in her treehouse most of the time. Rosina would much rather go on an adventure and make new friends, but she feels trapped.
Figaro hatches a plan for Almaviva to make Rosina's acquaintance - with music! Disguised as Lindoro, Almaviva serenades Rosina, who listens from her treehouse. He asks her join him at this evening's party, but just as she gets up the courage to respond, Bartolo returns, causing Rosina to hide away once more.
Frustrated, Almaviva knows he needs to find a way past the sly fox and offers Figaro lots of delicious acorns in exchange for her help in solving his problem. Figaro decides that while she goes to speak with Rosina, Almaviva should disguise himself as mouse who wants to sell Bartolo a new tree house. Bartolo will trust a mouse over a squirrel any day, and everyone knows that he could never resist a good bargain.
Meanwhile, the greedy Bartolo has his own plans to take Rosina to the dance. But he doesn't really care about Rosina - he's only after her stash of acorns. Threatened by Figaro's cleverness and the mysterious new squirrel that has been hanging around, he warns Rosina that she cannot outfox a fox. But Rosina is clever, too, and she knows with Figaro's help, they'll be able to escape Bartolo's grasp.
Almaviva dawns a mouse disguise and, with Figaro's help, begins to distract Bartolo in order to get a secret message to Rosina. Unfortunately, Bartolo overhears Almaviva speaking with Rosina and upon discovering their deception, he chases Figaro and Almaviva away, leaving Rosina trapped once again.
Will Almaviva and Figaro be able to rescue Rosina? How will they outfox Bartolo? What will happen when Almaviva reveals himself as the Count? Find out in Figaro! The Bunny of Seville!
