MDC Public Schools Superintendent Attends Florida Grand Opera's THAIS Dress Rehearsal

On Friday, May 2nd, Superintendent Alberto Carvalho joined more than 1440 students at the dress rehearsal of Thais, Florida Grand Opera's final opera production of the season. "By opening up the dress rehearsals to students, our goal is to provide the younger generation with an up close and personal musical and theatrical experience of the opera art form as well as to foster a new generation of opera lovers," said Cerise Sutton, Director of Education at Florida Grand Opera. "We are thrilled with the support we have received for our programs from the Miami-Dade County Public Schools from the classroom level all the way up to the superintendent."

During every opera season, Florida Grand Opera's Education Department invites approximately 5,000 middle and high school students from South Florida schools to attend the final dress rehearsals of each opera production at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts.

Through its community programs, FGO provides free public recitals and musical workshops throughout South Florida, making opera accessible to over 24 communities. Together, these programs, plus many more, bring musical experiences to people of all ages and circumstances. More than 20,000 children, families and community members take part in FGO programs throughout the season - in Broward, Miami-Dade and Monroe counties.

FGO's Box Office is located at the Doral Center, 8390 NW 25th Street, Miami, FL 33132, and is open to the public from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Tickets may also be purchased by phone at 800-741-1010 or online at www.FGO.org.

About Florida Grand Opera: Florida Grand Opera (FGO), the oldest performing arts organization in Florida, celebrates its 74th year of continuously producing grand opera during the 2014-15 Season. The main stage operas of the season include: Giacomo Puccini's Madame Butterfly, November 15 - December 6; Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Così fan tutte, January 24 - February 14; Georges Bizet's The Pearl Fishers (Les pêcheurs de perles), February 28 - March 14; and Gian Carlo Menotti's The Consul, May 9-16.

Founded in 1941 as Greater Miami Opera and later merging with The Opera Guild Inc. in 1994, FGO presents a mixture of standard repertoire and contemporary works as well as commissions new productions - all featuring projected translations in English and Spanish. FGO, recognized for funding by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs, the Florida Arts Council, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Funding is also provided, in part, by the Broward County Board of County Commissioners as recommended by the Broward Cultural Council and the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs, Cultural Affairs Council, the Mayor and the Miami-Dade County Board of County Commissioners and the Miami-Dade County Tourist Development Council. Program support is provided by the City of Miami Beach, Cultural Affairs Program, Cultural Arts Council. Florida Grand Opera is a Resident Company of the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County and a member company of OPERA America. American Airlines is the Official Airline, Intercontinental Miami is the Official Hotel and Steinway & Sons is the Official Piano of Florida Grand Opera.

Pictured: National Superintendent of the Year, Alberto Carvalho, joined students from 23 Miami-Dade County Public Schools for opera performance.