Calgary Opera School Tour: April 7-30, 2008

Hannaraptor: A One Act Opera for Young Audiences

Music by Allan Gilliland Libretto by Val Brandt
Best suited for Elementary Division II and Junior/Senior High

Members of the Emerging Artist Development Program embark on a tour April 7 - 30, 2008 of Calgary and Southern Alberta schools and communities to present Hannaraptor, an opera for young people by Allan Gilliland and Val Brandt.

Set against the backdrop of the Alberta Badlands, Hannaraptor tells the story of a girl, Hanna, whose determination to protect a beloved dinosaur skeleton propels her into a life-and-death struggle against rapacious greed.

Evoking our eternal fascination with dinosaurs and the mysterious world of pre-history, Val Brandt creates a timely story weaving together compelling issues of social responsibility and a family’s personal triumph.

Allan Gilliland’s wonderfully accessible and melodic Hannaraptor music score – which includes a catchy Dinosaur naming song for the audience - will be melded to a production of great visual appeal designed to capture the imagination of an audience raised on TV, video games and action movies. This world premiere is a Calgary Opera production, commissioned by the S.A. Opera Development Foundation specifically for young audiences is sure to fascinate with its melding of the ‘Jurassic’ and the genuine.

• 45-minute opera performed in English by eight young professional singers from Calgary Opera’s Emerging Artist Development Program
• Fully staged with costumes, sets, lighting/projections and synthesizer/keyboard accompaniment.
• Post performance Question and Answer period.
• Total Cost per performance – $750.00.
• Appeals to a broad age range. Recommended for Division 2 Elementary, Junior and Senior High.

Examples of Cross-Curricular areas in Study Guide Materials to be made

available:

• Language Arts: Exploring thoughts and feelings, communicating clearly with others.
• Science: Paleontology, dinosaurs and other pre-historic species, Archeology.
• Social Issues: Preserving historical artifacts and the environment.
• Health: Understanding socially acceptable responses, family dynamics and psychology.
• Music: opera form, musical terms, listening skills.
• Art: Depiction, reflection, expression and composition.
• Drama: Movement, role play, storytelling, technical theatre, directing.

Production Sponsor	School Tour Supported by:	Community Outreach Sponsored by:	Emerging Artists Sponsored by:
	TELUS Calgary Community Board