Opera Makers

The Opera Makers program aims to make arts education accessible to underserved schools and communities through hands-on activities that explore every element of opera, from storytelling and composition, to performance and design. Rooted in the spirit of co-creation, community groups, classroom teachers, and students are given the autonomy to create their own performance that authentically tell the stories of their community, while providing artistic alternatives to addressing the world around them. A roster of highly trained COC Teaching Artists collaborate within multidisciplinary teams to provide interactive, engaging programming and artistic support through integrated musical, visual, and sensory components that are tailored to the needs, goals, and expectations from each partnership.

Nature's Perspective

Learn about Nature’s Perspective, an original opera created and performed by youth from East York and surrounding areas, alongside the neurodiverse community. The timely story explores themes of nature, environmental stewardship, as well as the relationships between humans, animals, and planet earth.

Led by COC Teaching Artists Roydon Tse, Meredith Wolting, and Isabella Fassler, Nature’s Perspective is the culmination of a collaborative storytelling partnership between the Canadian Opera Company and Evergreen Brick Works and features musicians of the acclaimed COC Orchestra accompanying the young performers.

Opera Makers Program

The CPP department offers a tiered approach to Opera Makers programming:

Phase I: Classroom Creatives

Offering accessible, customized singular workshops for students at a price point relative to the respective school or community budget. Educators have the ability to choose from a laundry list of opera topics, subjects, and themes to build the perfect session for their needs. This phase includes 1 hour of Teaching Artistry and Subject Matter Expert material (SME) to be provided and shared with the organization.

Phase II: Classroom Intensive

Educators choose one theme that a COC Teaching Artist will aid in providing deeper knowledge & understanding of the specific subject area. This phase is designed to serve as a resource for community facilitators and teachers, connecting weekly lessons to the Ministry of Education Curriculum and includes 6 hours of Teaching Artistry and Subject Matter Expert material (SME) to be provided and shared with the organization.

Phase III: Opera Makers

A full, 12 to 16-week residency. Students create their own operas that tell the stories of their communities through music. Programming is created by COC Teaching Artists in collaboration with educators. This final phase is also designed to serve as a resource for community facilitators and teachers, and connects weekly lessons to the Ministry of Education Curriculum. A variety of learning formats are available to fit what works best for each organization. Our framework is flexible, adaptable, and customizable to the needs of the community.

Our growing list of partnerships include: Kapapamahchakwew (Wandering Spirit School), Sick Kids Epilepsy Classroom, W.C Little Elementary, Heydon Park Secondary School, Evergreen Brick Works, Building Roots, West Neighbourhood House, Alexander Mackenzie High School, DANI (Developing and Nurturing Independence), Montgomery’s Inn, St Jamestown Community Arts, SISTEMA, Earl Haig Secondary School/Claude Watson Program, Enquiring Minds Montessori, St. Elizabeth Catholic High School, Runnymede Collegiate Institute, King's Christian Collegiate, Westmount Collegiate Institute, and Forest Hill Junior and Senior Public School, to provide music programming to over 800 young people.

Interested to learn about how the COC can visit your community?
Please reach out at [email protected]

Presenting Sponsor
The Opera Makers program is supported by The McLean Foundation
and The Lloyd Carr-Harris Foundation