OPERA LIVE AT “MIGUEL HERNÁNDEZ”

The students of the second and third level of Primary participated in a fantastic dramatization of the history of the opera, performed by an actor, who was Mozart, an a tenor  acting as his valet Luiggi.

About the performers

Miguel Ribagorda
As W.A. Mozart

Andoni Barañano
As Luiggi, Mozart's valet 

Both the actor, Miguel Ribagorda as Mozart and the tenor, Andoni Barañano, embodying the valet of the brilliant composer, are highly qualified professionals with a career of over 20 years, having performed in the main theaters of the Spanish geography. They are also founding  members of the prestigious opera company Opera Divertimento.

 We have learnt that:

An opera is a play with music.

In opera, the performers on the stage are normally singers, instead of actors. The story is told in song and by the music from the orchestra. And just like plays, operas can also be very exciting.

We think opera is one of the most exciting type of music, as it is not only music to listen to, but there is also a stage to watch and a story to think about. Opera fills ears, eyes and mind.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

January 27, 1756 - December 5, 1791

Born in Austria

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in Salzburg, Austria, where his father Leopold was a violinist and composer. Wolfgang (or Wolferl, as his family called him) was a child prodigy. He composed his first piece of music at age five; he had his first piece published when he was seven; and he wrote his first opera when he was twelve. By the time Wolfgang was 6, he was an excellent pianist and violinist. He and his sister Maria Anna (known as Nannerl) traveled all over Europe performing for royalty.
When he grew up, Mozart moved to Vienna, and tried to earn a living as a pianist and composer. But he had a lot of trouble handling the fact that he was no longer a child prodigy. Mozart was still a musical genius, but after he stopped being a cute kid, people stopped making a big fuss over him. Back then, musicians were treated like servants, but Mozart did not, and could not think of himself as a servant.
Mozart was only 35 when he died. During his short life, he composed in ll different musical forms, including operas, symphonies, concertos, masses, and chamber music. Today, he is still considered a genius!

We enjoyed this activity a lot!

En el mes de mayo, los alumnos de 3º a 6º, han tenido la oportunidad de divertirse y aprender inglés en un taller de Ópera en vivo, realizado por la compañía “Erase una vez... la ópera”.

En ellos nos contaron en inglés parte de la biografía de Mozart, y nos dieron una pequeña muestra en vivo de su trabajo tan prolífico y algunas de sus óperas. Fue muy agradable escuchar al tenor y al barítono cuando interpretaban los fragmentos musicales. ¡Vaya voces tan magníficas!

También aprendimos cómo nuestra voz es un instrumento más, que se puede modificar, modular, etc., así como las distintas clasificaciones que hay en ellas dentro de la ópera.

Nos gustó tanto que el año que viene, si tenemos presupuesto para ello, nos apuntamos de nuevo.