YPO Continues In School Opera Program with THE PIED PIPER OF HAMELIN thru April 2014

The Young Patronesses of the Opera (YPO) organization will present the 39th season of their In School Opera program that reaches out to 30,000 school children in Dade and Broward counties. The 2014 tour began in January and will run until early April performing "The Pied Piper of Hamelin" by Seymour Barab. This 30-minute production with full sets, costumes and live music tell the story through music and humor of the Piper who helps a town in need and teaches integrity. Each student receives a workbook created by YPO education committee members with poems, music, games and puzzles to help the students learn the story and music. Additionally, teachers receive a companion study guide using Florida's Sunshine Standards to enhance their student's critical thinking and evaluative skills.

"In-School Opera program has always held true to the YPO mission to educate and cultivate the love of opera to the youth in the community", says Julie Todaro, Since its inception in 1975 under the leadership of Todaro's mother, Louise P. Todaro, it is estimated that over 500,000 children in public and private schools around south Florida have seen these wonderful professional performances, free of charge. And, these children who fall in love with opera are the opera supporters of tomorrow. In fact, Florida Grand Opera found through one of their surveys that today's Miami Opera audience has an increasing number of young people and they directly relate that to YPO's In School opera program.

YPO receives hundreds of thank you letters from the teachers, principals, and children each year who truly enjoy having an opportunity to see an opera. One teacher wrote: "Thank you for bringing the opera to our school. This opportunity for students is unmatched and we appreciate all you, your staff and cast do to make it possible."

We are proud to have been partially funded by AT&T, Macy's Dusnpah-Dalton, the Ethel and George Kennedy Family Foundation, the Shepard Broad Foundation, and with the support of the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners Without their funding many of the children would never have a chance to experience this genre of the arts.

About Young Patronesses of the Opera - YPO is comprised of over 100 volunteer women who have been raising funds for over 50 years to support its mission to cultivate, promote, foster, sponsor, educate and develop the understanding, taste and love of opera in our community and to support the Florida Grand Opera. This non-profit organization also relies on donations and grants to help fulfill their mission and to sustain a number of programs they offer such as the In School Opera for the elementary school level, teacher and Girl Scout Workshops, and Voice Competitions of national renown, just to name a few. For more information about YPO, please visit our website at www.YPO-MIAMI.org.

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