Fort Worth Opera and Teen Opera Club Of Texas Announce Free Virtual Event 'Storytelling, Stage Presence, and Standing Ovations'

Fort Worth Opera will host the fourth Teen Opera Club of Texas event, "Storytelling, Stage Presence, and Standing Ovations," on Thursday, January 21, 2021, at 6:30 PM CT. This inspiring educational initiative, part of the recently launched Texas Opera Alliance (TOA) with Austin Opera (AO), The Dallas Opera (TDO), Houston Grand Opera (HGO), OPERA San Antonio (OSA), and FWO, offers Texas students 13-19 years of age unparalleled access to artists and administrative staff from each organization and exclusive insight into the world of opera. In this time of social distancing, Fort Worth Opera and our fellow TOA companies are excited to find innovative ways to continue delivering arts education and connect Texas's youth during the pandemic and beyond.

Beginning in October with HGO's world premiere presentation of Katie: The Strongest of the Strong, and OSA's discussion with the cast and creative team of The Cunning Little Vixen, The Dallas Opera presented "Careers in Opera" on December 14, 2020. Following this insightful presentation, FWO is kicking off the New Year, as Sheran Goodspeed Keyton, the company's Manager of Education and Community Engagement, teaches budding young artists that there are many more facets to a successful performance on the stage, than simply delivering beautiful sounds.

"For many people, singing comes naturally," says Ms. Keyton. "They open their mouth, and innately there is an outpouring of amazingness! Audiences worldwide love hearing the sound of the naturally talented, as well as the professionally trained. But what resonates with an audience even more, is the ability to tell a story. I'm excited to share my 30+ years as a professional storyteller with the young students who will participate in this session!"

Fort Worth Opera's 60-minute live and pre-recorded workshop with Ms. Keyton will feature video presentations by acclaimed stage directors Octavio Cardenas, David Gately, and Steven D. Morris. They will discuss the art of operatic storytelling, the importance of authenticity in emotional expression, character motivation, developing a stage presence, and learning how to balance vocal virtuosity with honest human emotions and behavior in the context of an opera. Octavio Cardenas, who directed the company's 2014 production of Silent Night and 2019 world premiere, Frida Kahlo and the Bravest Girl in the World, will address how to act with puppets. Longtime Fort Worth Opera favorite and industry legend David Gately will talk about the process a performer goes through to embody a character that is an animal. Lastly, Steven D. Morris, Executive Producer of Theatre Arlington and director of Fort Worth Opera's recent world premiere, Stone Soup, will examine how an adult can realistically portray a child on stage.

For more information, contact Sheran Goodspeed Keyton at sheran@fwopera.org. To join the club for free and to learn more about the Teen Opera Club of Texas or the Texas Opera Alliance, visit: http://texasoperaalliance.org.