Bringing Opera to the Next Generation
For more than two decades, Opera Theatre of the Rockies has been enriching lives through exceptional opera performances, artistic excellence, and community engagement across Southern Colorado. Our Opera Goes to School program extends that mission beyond the stage by bringing professional opera directly into classrooms, auditoriums, and school communities.
We believe every student deserves the opportunity to experience live performing arts—regardless of where they live or whether they've ever attended an opera.
Opera Goes to School transforms schools into performance spaces where students don't simply watch a story—they become part of the experience.
Our Mission
Opera Goes to School inspires curiosity, creativity, and lifelong learning by introducing students to the world of opera through engaging live performances and classroom resources that connect music, theatre, literature, history, visual arts, and social-emotional learning.
Our goal is not simply to teach students about opera.
Our goal is to help students discover that stories, music, and creativity belong to everyone.
What Makes OGS Different?
Opera combines nearly every art form into one experience.
Students encounter:
🎭 Theatre
🎵 Music
📚 Literature
🎨 Visual Art
🏛 History
🌍 World Cultures
💬 Language
💡 Critical Thinking
❤️ Social-Emotional Learning
Whether students dream of becoming performers, engineers, artists, teachers, writers, or scientists, opera demonstrates how collaboration and creativity bring complex ideas to life.
Learning Through Performance
Every Opera Goes to School production is designed with education in mind.
Students don't simply sit through a performance—they learn to become active audience members while discovering:
-
How stories are told through music
-
Why characters make the choices they do
-
How costumes, scenery, lighting, and props communicate ideas
-
The science of the human voice
-
Musical instruments and orchestration
-
Historical and cultural context
-
Careers in the performing arts
Each performance is carefully adapted for student audiences while maintaining the artistry and excitement of professional opera.