Austin Lyric OperaÂ's OPERA BY NIGHT Program Offers 5,000 Free Tickets

Austin Lyric Opera's (ALO) Opera by Night community engagement program offers 5,000 free tickets each year to students, parents and teachers to attend ALO dress rehearsals throughout the season. For more information, visit www.AustinLyricOpera.org/community.

Students grades 5-12 and accompanying adults are invited to participate in the Opera by Night program. Prior to each Opera by Night dress rehearsal, ALO distributes educational packets to teachers at participating schools. These packets contain a variety of information about the opera itself, as well as cultural and historical context which teachers can use in their curriculum in a variety of subjects, including music, history, art and literature. This enables students to familiarize themselves with opera and have a more meaningful and enjoyable experience during their visit to the theater.

"Listening to live opera as a kid played a big role in how I came to fall in love with the art form," says Joseph Specter, General Director of Austin Lyric Opera. "There is something so special about the live experience that cannot be conveyed in a recording. This program gives students the chance to share in that experience." Opera by Night is often the first opportunity for many participants to enjoy live opera.

The 2012-13 Opera by Night schedule is as follows:

Pagliacci (Leoncavallo)
Thursday, November 8, 2012 at 7:00 pm
Who's laughing now? This famous play-within-a-play tells the heartbreaking story of betrayal and jealousy in an Italian theater troupe. Theater and reality collide in a dramatic climax of operatic proportions when Canio discovers his wife has eyes for another man.

The Marriage of Figaro (Mozart)
Tuesday, January 29, 2013 at 7:00 pm
Something's afoot in the palace of the Count! In this single "day of madness," Mozart takes us on a laugh-out-loud ride filled with schemes, masquerades and mistaken identities. The infamous Figaro, his bride-to-be Susanna, and the Countess conspire to expose and embarrass the Count. This is comic opera at its best.

Faust (Gounod)
Tuesday, April 23, 2013 at 7:00 pm
Would you strike a deal with the devil? Faust, an aging scholar, wants another chance at youth and love, and forges a pact with Méphistophélès to seduce the beautiful and innocent Marguerite. What follows is an epic struggle between good and evil.

All performances take place at The Long Center for the Performing Arts.

Attendance for the Opera by Night program has grown by 20% over the past two seasons and now reaches nearly 5,000 each year. Participation has been bolstered by affiliations with a growing list of schools and community organizations that includes, but is not limited to:

· Texas School for the Deaf

· Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired

· East Austin Public Schools (AISD)

· Round Rock ISD

· American Youth Works

· Project Hope of Manor ISD

· Austin Shelter for Women and Children

· Boys and Girls Clubs of Austin

· Lifeworks

· Leaders Enrichment Arts Program (LEAP)

Austin Lyric Opera is committed to empowering young people with innovative programs that expose students to the joys of classical music and live performance. Opera by Night makes opera an accessible art form in a welcoming, non-discriminatory environment. Opera by Night is made possible by the generous support of BlueCross BlueShield of Texas. For more information, visit www.AustinLyricOpera.org.

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