Mozart's The Magic Flute gets a unique and local twist, April 17 at the Garibaldi Highlands Elementary School, when the Vancouver Opera Touring Company performs the classic opera as a First Nations story geared towards youths and families.
"The entire project has been created with support and guidance from the First People's Heritage Language and Culture Council," said Patrick LeBlanc, education manager for the Vancouver Opera. "They have been instrumental in the development of the overall project.
"Each year, for the past 34 years, Vancouver Opera adapts a production for elementary school audiences and sends it out on tour across the province. For the 2006/07 season that was The Magic Flute: Quest for the Box of Shadows," he said.
This particular version of the Magic Flute has been adapted to a traditional West Coast First Nation's story.
The famous Queen of the Night character has become T'sonokwa, the Wild Woman of the Woods who greedily steals people's shadows and locks them away in a special bentwood box.
In the original story, there are also spirit guides and advisors that in this version have been transformed into Gak the Raven and Gibuu the Wolf.
"The Magic Flute was adapted by Richard Van Camp, member of the Dogrib Nation, writer and storyteller; David Adams, actor, singer and the project director; and Leslie Uyeda, composer, conductor and musical director for the project," said LeBlanc. "They transformed Mozart's three-hour opera to a 45-minute West Coast story appropriate for elementary school audiences."
The show, featuring five professional singers, is usually followed by a short Q&A.
According to LeBlanc the troupe performs up to 10 shows a week primarily in school gyms and community theatres. This season The Magic Flute will play about 140 shows and reach approximately 45,000 children.
"And of course teachers love exposing the students to opera," he said. "For First Nations students seeing stories they are familiar with on stage has elicited all kinds of positive response. The artists have commented several times on how they are swarmed like rock stars especially at Band and northern schools."
He said exposing opera to children is important for their education.
"Our school opera presentations are backed with study guides full of curriculum appropriate materials and music excerpt CDs for study prior to the presentation," he said. "Schools also have the option of using an opera trunk - full of books, props and costumes to play and understand the opera."
The production also gives back to the community, according to Howe Sound Performing Arts Association president Tracy Stuchbery."The proceeds from this concert will go into the Access Music Education fund," she said. "Bringing this production to Squamish and having the proceeds feed into the AME fund is HSPAA's way of continuing to encourage and assist young people in their musical education and studies."
The Magic Flute: Quest For the Box of Shadows plays April 17 at Garibaldi Highlands Elementary School at 5 p.m.
Tickets are $10 at Billie's Bouquet, Mostly Books and the Squamish Adventure Centre.
