Experience the Opera outside of the theater. Explore our many education resources dedicated to bringing this wonderful tradition to life.
Sharing the tradition of Opera doesn’t only take place in the theater; Opera Carolina is dedicated to sharing this tradition with all facets of the community, including our educational community. For more than 40 years, Opera Carolina has been helping children and families discover the treasure that is Opera – from in-school touring programs to summertime workshops, and the legacy that is the Opera’s educational offerings.
Student Night at the Opera is an unforgettable outing for K-12 students, families and traditional school and homeschool groups, offering special ticket prices and access to the Student Night section for Thursday evening performances.
Check out our Student Rush tickets! Learn More
Can love triumph over politics even when the one you love has gotten themselves into trouble?
Opera diva Floria Tosca fights to save her patriotic artist love, Cavaradossi, when the brutal Baron Scarpia -who has long loved Tosca- comes after him for helping a political prisoner escape. No one expresses these larger-than-life characters better than Puccini.
(Passes available August 1st)
Is reaching the mountaintop worth the struggle?
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. believed so. We journey back to the early days of the Civil Rights Movement that would reshape America and transform a preacher from Atlanta into an icon for the ages. Tappin’s musical drama will beg us to ask the enduring question: will it always be this way?
(Passes available August 1st)
Which is greater: loyalty to your country or love for another?
Aida, an enslaved Ethiopian princess, is secretly in love with an Egyptian general who’s leading the war against her homeland. But there’s a more personal battle raging. The Egyptian princess whom the Aida serves is in love with the same man. Don’t miss Verdi’s masterpiece to discover the answer.
(Passes available August 1st)
The Lichtin Family Foundation Opera Xpress Program
The educational touring company of Opera Carolina, Opera Xpress has been sharing the wonder of live, musical storytelling with students, teachers, and families for 45 years!
These 35-minute productions are designed expressly for today’s learners, helping bring the world of opera alive as an all-inclusive art form and teaching tool. Performances bring to life creative sets, costumes, and stories, and are accompanied by curriculum-linked educational materials that help teachers integrate the performance into the classroom for a lasting experience.
Make your school our next stop on our tour!
Life on the farm is simple and normal – just the way all the animals like it. When a new bunch of ducklings hatch, everyone is excited to meet the newest, normal-est farm members, until they see that one duckling is a bit odd. But each member of the farm is put to the test when a big, bad, hungry villain tries to huff and puff and stuff himself silly, resulting in an important lesson learned: our differences are what make us each special.
Education takes form in many ways, including outside the classroom and as a family. That’s why Opera Carolina is committed to its Family Opera series – weekend performances by Opera Xpress, the Lichtin Family Foundation Program, that are free and open to families all across the Charlotte region. These beloved children’s stories set to music are a perfect first experience with opera for the young and the young at heart. Join us for the Family Opera performance coming to your neighborhood!
Coming to your neighborhood this season!
The Opera’s annual summer workshop is open to regional rising 8th to 12th graders. It provides musical and dramatic training, as well as various other stagecraft skills and aspects of the singing profession, and participation in a production alongside young professionals.
The Opera’s newest ensemble for rising 3rd to 7th graders. These young singers work on foundational music and vocal skills, with it culminating on the grand opera or concert stage each semester.
Provided for students age 14 and older, the OCA connects regional singing students with highly qualified voice instructors to begin their own unique journey of vocal development.
Want to know more or get private vocal lessons? Contact us
Offered for middle and high school groups, the OCA provides highly tailored workshops featuring vocal technique or music-drama led by Opera company members and local instructors.
Want to know more about our in-school workshops? Contact us
Available for regional university vocal students, these classes are held as public events conducted by mainstage guest artists or accomplished vocal instructors. Opera Carolina master classes offer great insight into the craft for vocal music appreciators.
Want to know more about the master classes? Contact us
Our innovative initiative that uses arts-activated learning to empower education for students and teachers through classroom residencies that are designed with each school’s faculty.
