Opera comes to Wharton

WHARTON – One day after the Opera at Florham presented its holiday concert at Fairleigh Dickinson University, they brought their performance of Gioacchino Rossini's "La Cenerentola," also known as Cinderella, to an entirely new audience – Wharton elementary school students.

Abridged to about one hour, the performers wore full costumes and sung in English to bring the classic tale to life in a unique way for the 500 kids in kindergarten through fifth grade Monday afternoon at Marie V. Duffy School.

The performance is part of the Opera at Florham's mission to bring Opera to a younger generation and those who might be otherwise unable to be introduced to opera.

"Opera has the connotation of being only for the older, sophisticated, snobby, moneyed crowd. So trying to introduce this expensive art form to younger people is an attempt to dispel this notion," Opera at Florham President Joan Del Giudice said. "Many people fail to realize that the background music of many radio and TV commercials, movie themes and TV shows are taken from Operas and Classical Music."

The Opera at Florham has operated for 32 years at Fairleigh Dickinson where they perform four musicals per season. Del Giudice said it is the "best kept secret in Morris County," though she wishes that were not that case.

Wharton was selected for the special performance upon recommendation from the Morris Arts Council's Education Director, Barbara Reuther.

Del Giudice said Monday's event in Wharton was a success, specifically saying the antics of the two mean sisters in the show appealed to the students.

Artistic director Davis Wroe narrated and explained the show to the students as it happened, even encouraging the kids to "boo" the mean stepsisters.

For last year's similar event, an English version of Engelbert Humperdinck's "Hansel and Gretel" was performed for Morristown students, part of an outreach program funded by the Morris Arts Council.

"These themes are known to children through fairy tales but they do not know that they have also been set to serious and beautiful music," Del Giudice said. "These student outreach programs are a good method to introduce kids to Opera. We plan to do it annually and even other type programs to high school and college students."

Del Giudice said another way to introduce the art form to a younger audience is to show the work it takes to put an opera together, from designing costumes and sets to creating and rehearsing the music.

Go to www.operaatflorham.org for more information and to see upcoming performances.

Staff Writer Michael Izzo: 973-428-6636; mizzo@dailyrecord.com