Opera at SCHOOL

Katie: The Strongest of the Strong

Sponsored by Stewart’s and The Dake Family

Opera Saratoga will be touring Katie: The Strongest of the Strong, from March 11 - 28, 2024 to schools all over the Capital Region.

Katie: The Strongest of the Strong is the true story of Katie Sandwina – a circus strongwoman who defied cultural expectations of women and was instrumental in the U.S. suffrage movement in the 1900s. Featuring an all-female cast, the HGO original commission is an engaging way for students and families to learn about the importance of equal rights. Katie and her husband Max move from Austria to the U.S., where she joins Barnum and Bailey Circus, becomes a mother, and teams up with Marina, a young journalist, to fight for the voting rights of women. With an all-female cast, this 2020 HGO commission from composer Faye Chiao and librettist Anton Dudley is an engaging way for students and families to learn about the importance of equal rights.The 45-minute opera celebrates women’s strength and confidence through the inspiring true story of protagonist Katie Sandwina. The story, shared from the perspective of journalist Marina Martin, features a chorus of circus women who play multiple characters and demonstrate how strength and beauty come in all shapes and sizes.  The opera is appropriate for kids from K-6th grade.

The cost of booking is $650 for 1 performance or $1000 for 2 back-to-back performances. 

You may be eligible for reimbursement for some or all of the program cost through your regional BOCES office, or with assistance from your PTA or other fundraising organizations.

ABOUT OPERA SARATOGA’S EDUCATION PROGRAM

Since 1982, Opera Saratoga tours an opera production to more than twenty public and private schools throughout the greater Capital and lower Adirondack regions of NY, western Massachusetts, and southern Vermont. The performances feature charismatic professional artists who love to share their joy of music and theater through the opera, as well as through question-and-answer sessions where students can meet the artists and learn about the music and what it takes to put on a performance.

In a world where the default forms of entertainment for children are primarily television, video games, and the Internet, Opera Saratoga’s Education program provides youth with an all-too-rare opportunity to experience the visceral thrill of the live performing arts, up close and personal!

Opera Saratoga's Education program includes a professionally staged opera performance in your school, along with a post-performance discussion between the artists and your students.

As we plan for the upcoming year, your perspective and insight is critical. If you would like more information about our upcoming opera tour or other education initiatives, please contact Opera Saratoga.

What is Opera Saratoga’s Education Program?

Each year, Opera Saratoga tours an Opera production to more than fifty public and private schools throughout the greater Capital and lower Adirondack regions of NY. The performances feature charismatic professional artists who love to share their joy of music and theater through the opera, as well as through question and answer sessions where students have the opportunity to meet the artists and learn about the music and what it takes to put on a performance.

In a world where the default forms of entertainment for children are primarily television, video games, and the Internet, Opera Saratoga’s In-School Opera program provides youth with an all-too-rare opportunity to experience the visceral thrill of the live performing arts, up close and personal!

Opera Saratoga's touring program includes a professionally staged opera performance in your school, along with a post-performance discussion between the artists and your students.

You may be eligible for reimbursement for some or all of the program cost through your regional BOCES office, or with assistance from your PTA or other fundraising organizations.

Thank you to our generous sponsors:

REACTIONS FROM STUDENTS AND TEACHERS