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Health & Fitness

Brundibar! Opera for the entire family

Come to the Detroit Opera House on Sunday, March 16, 2014, 2:30pm to watch the Michigan Opera Theatre Children's Chorus perform BRUNDIBAR!. An inspiring opera performed entirely by children under the age of 16. 

Come support local MOTCC choristers & Dearborn residents, Clare Brees-Oswald, London Bermudez, and Madison Ganzak as they take to the main stage at the beautiful, historic Detroit Opera House.

This family-friendly children's opera tells the story of a brother and sister who join forces with a sparrow, cat and dog to outwit the evil organ grinder, Brundibar. This historic piece was performed 55 times by the children of the Theresienstadt concentration camp. Holocaust survivor Ela Stein Weissberger played the Cat in this original performance and will be onsite to speak to audiences about how art and music inspired her hope for survival.    

"It's a light opera but historically there is a dark history surrounding it," said MOTCC director Suzanne Mallare Acton. "Brundibar's message of people banding together to overcome an evil force certainly was relevant at the time this opera was composed. We've learned from those who survived the Holocaust that the arts can survive during terrible times and help bring hope to those who need it most. Having Ela present to speak to audiences about what this opera and other artistic works meant to the people of Theresienstadt is a great learning opportunity for our kids and the whole community. It's a true testament of the human spirit enduring during truly dire circumstances."

TICKETS:
Tickets to the performance of Brundibar are $30 for adults and $15 for children. Ticket information is available by calling (313) 237-SING (7464) or by visiting www.michiganopera.org.   A student dress rehearsal is open to local schools on Fri., March 14 at 11 a.m.  For more information , visit www.motcc.org.
Brundibar is sponsored by Lil and Alex Erdeljan - Production Sponsor, and the Worthington Family Foundation - Education Material and Student Ticket Sponsor. 

The MOTCC is a permanent ensemble of Michigan Opera Theatre, and appears with the company in main stage productions as well s its own performances. Children come from all around the Metro Detroit area to make up the 80 person ensemble, including from Livingston, Macomb, Oakland, Washtenaw and Wayne counties, and Canada.

The mission of the Michigan Opera Theatre Children's Chorus is to provide exceptional choral music and theatrical performance instruction in a professional environment to young people. Offering a curriculum that embraces diverse cultures and traditions and a rich and extensive range of musical genres, the program seeks to instill personal and artistic excellence in its students. Led by Michigan Opera Theatre Assistant Music Director, Chorus Master Suzanne Mallare Acton, this permanent children's choir is the only one of its kind for Michigan children. MOTCC has a main chorus of 50 children and a Preparatory Chorus consisting of 30 children. All children are from the local southeast Michigan area and range in ages 8-16. Children's Chorus Assistant Director and Conductor Dianna Hochella, conducts the Principal Chorus and Annie Klark is the Preparatory Chorus conductor. The choir performs as a separate ensemble and with international opera stars in Michigan Opera Theatre productions.     

See our promotional video here: http://vimeo.com/88482076

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