Opera Debuts about Life on Mars
Rockville, Maryland

La Clevique Kids Opera Company at Farmland Elementary School composed and produced, "Blue on the Red Planet," an original opera. More than 50 students helped to create their opera about life on Mars in the year 2030. In their project, Earth governments decided to send gifted children to prepare Mars for habitation. Students took field trips to the Air and Space Museum to learn about Mars and to performances of Tosca and Rigoletto to study their art form.

Students took responsibility for the entire production of their opera, including writing the script, composing the music, building the lights and sets, generating their own public relations, designing costumes and performing their composition. They held ten bake sales to raise funds for program supplies. Parents, NASA, the Washington Opera, GE Global Exchange Services and the Farmland PTA helped make the performance a success. Farmland Elementary School participates in the Metropolitan Opera Guild's Creating Original Opera program.

Working together on the project taught students about cooperation. One student said "the most important thing I have learned is that it takes everyone in every job to do their part to make the opera."