By Florida Grand Opera

On Friday, Feb 18 the Florida Grand Opera hosted its first FGO Teacher’s Day. Created by new education manager Cerise Sutton, the event’s goal was to further FGO’s mission to educate the community about the art of opera. We received nearly double the amount of expected participants and welcomed 100 teachers to the Doral Center.

“As one of the largest cultural institutions in South Florida, our goal is to help teachers provide a high level of arts education to their students. By establishing FGO Teacher Days, in collaboration with M-DCPS Division of Life Skills, we are making a commitment to be an integral part of the cultural education of the entire region,” exclaims FGO Education Manager Cerise Sutton.

The day was designed to provide educators with a behind-the-scenes look at the world of opera, so they may impart that knowledge on to their students. FGO professionals of all departments shared various tools with Miami-Dade County teachers, from opera-infused curriculums to career exploration. Following breakfast and opening remarks by FGO President and CEO Bob Heuer, they received a sneak peak of upcoming productions of Don Giovanni and Cyrano by resident opera expert Justin Moss and resident conductor Andrew Bisantz.

Hands-on training was delivered by the Production team through sessions on make-up, costuming, and staging. Teachers were able to interact with live props and learn how to enhance their own school productions through tricks of the trade from the artists behind FGO’s own operas.

Lesley Cooper, a participating music teacher from Richmond Heights Middle School, shared her enthusiasm for the event stating, “I can’t wait to use the tips I learned today to do a costume workshop for my students.” Already an opera fan, Ms. Cooper participates in FGO’s Dress Rehearsal Program each season, allowing high school students to experience the opera at no cost through the generous sponsorship of corporate and individual donors.

In addition to helpful tips, these activities also showcased the variety of careers in opera that go beyond the stage. Teachers where able to interact with conductors, make-ups artists, production managers, and more.

The day ended on a musical note with a performance by members of the Young Artists Studio, featuring arias from both upcoming productions. The dedicated educators left the Doral Center with a true understanding of the inner workings of opera and eager to share it with their students.