Animals come to life in George Plimpton children’s opera

AOP founder Grethe Barrett Holby‘s Family Opera Initiative will present a concert reading of the children’s opera Animal Tales the afternoons of Nov 11, 13, & 14 in New York City. Animal Tales features music by Kitty Brazelton with a book and lyrics by the late George Plimpton. According to Holby:

ANIMAL TALES is a fable about the finding the gumption to try one’s wings and the different directions the journey can take. George Plimpton wrote ANIMAL TALES “for the very young, and the young at heart.” The message? Go out there and find it, do it, or create it, as did the consummate adventurer, George Plimpton, his entire life. A full length musical-opera, ANIMAL TALES explores cultural crossovers and infuses American musical idioms into classical structures, integrating classically trained, R&B and jazz vocal styles, DJ turntable, and Latin percussion.

Tuesday November 11th at 3pm, Thursday November 13th at 4pm, and Friday November 14th at 1pm at Chelsea Studios, 151 W. 26th Street, NYC (Between 6th and 7th Avenues). Guests are also welcome at the Special Benefit Concert, Sunday November 16th 7pm (also at Chelsea). For reservations please contact: info@animaltalesthemusicalopera.com or call (212) 431-7039 for further information.

Holby developed Animal Tales at several AOP workshops during her years as Artistic Director of the company.

AOP Exec Direc teaches how to Workshop Your Opera

Charles Jarden

Tomorrow, Tues Oct 28 from 6-7 PM, our Executive Director Charles Jarden will be part of a panel at OPERA America to discuss “Workshopping Your Opera.” It’s part of their Making Connections series and costs a mere $5 for members ($10 for non-members). Other panel members are Diane Wondisford, Music-Theater Group; Ricky Ian Gordon, composer; and David Schweitzer, stage director. On Wednesday, Making Connections will hold a discussion on “Performing in Your Community” with a panel that includes AOP founder Grethe Barret Holby and Opera on Tap founder (and former AOP Apprentice) Anne Ricci.