During our 2016-17 season, Heartbeat Opera was proud to officially launch our Heartbeat For All program. More than 60 students came to see our productions of BUTTERFLY and CARMEN for free. And what's more, they really loved the experience! Check out their amazing reactions, and find out how you can create opportunities for arts engagement by supporting Heartbeat For All.
Members of MCC Theater Youth Company after seeing CARMEN
“When I first decided to go see an opera at school, I expected it to be long, boring, and dreary. Much to my surprise, when I sat down for Carmen, I was greeted by an energetic opera that had me wanting to learn French. It was an amazing experience.”
“I enjoyed my first opera experience. I loved the whole acting and set for Carmen as well as the interaction of props and again the set. The most memorable moment of Carmen was when Carmen and her friends were playing along the border because it showed more about Carmen as a character and how she was a free, fun-loving woman. To me the story was a bit all over the place, but I think it was a story about lust/love that wasn’t meant to be. What I mean is that they never really fell in love just in love with the thought of being with each other. Finally I relate to the sax guy because we’re both groovy man.”
“It was really excellent and very interesting. I especially remember when Carmen gave the guard the flower because I felt that I could relate to it. I would love to go to an opera like this again because it was an interesting experience that was exciting to watch.”
Police Athletic League Acting teens attend Heartbeat Opera's BUTTERFLY at Baruch College
Support Heartbeat For All
Make a tax-deductible donation to create opportunities for students to engage with opera:
Partner with us
If you are an organization interested in collaborating with Heartbeat Opera, please contact annie@heartbeatopera.org to start a conversation.
Heartbeat Opera is proud to collaborate with A BroaderWay and Atlas DIY: Developing Immigrant Youth in bringing opera education to youths from underserved areas in New York City. Heartbeat artists conduct unique workshops introducing students to opera and letting them work hands-on with a Heartbeat singer-actor to shape their dramatic performance on a great aria. The students are then invited to see a Heartbeat production, receiving backstage tours, introductions to the piece and the composer, and participating in post-show discussions.
If you are interested in supporting this aspect of the company, please email us at heartbeatopera@gmail.com for more details.
Co-Artistic Director Louisa Proske and Heartbeat mezzo Kristin Gornstein conduct a workshop for high school girls at A BroaderWay Foundation, Harlem, New York City, February 2016.