Review: Baby Opera CAMILLE'S RAINBOW Enchants Ages 0–4 & Caregivers at MOT

What happens when Camille loses her colors? One by one—red, yellow, blue—she finds them again in a short, sweet opera developed specifically for children ages 0 to 4. Brought to life by Milwaukee Opera Theatre (MOT), Camille’s Rainbow is 45 minutes of enchanting playfulness, lovely singing, and a shimmering harp (Erin Brooker-Miller).

MOT’s Camille’s Rainbow is staged at an office space on Milwaukee Street in the heart of downtown. The otherwise empty, sprawling room is divided in two: a performance area centered around a plush white rug, and a gathering space complete with a cozy nook trimmed with twinkle lights. The mood is dim and calm, allowing colorful lighting by Jim Padovano and projections by Dan Scully to shine once the performance begins.

As soon as the harp rings out to signal the opera’s start, the children are mesmerized. In socked feet (if you choose), kids and their caregivers are beckoned to sit around the circular rug—upon which Camille (Julianne Perkins) slumbers. Personified colors Yo (Austin Bare), Boo (Danielle Gedemer), and Roo (Katelynn Rutter) sweetly welcome guests into the performance space in song: “Hello… Nice to see you… Glad you’re here…” You can’t help but feel all warm and fuzzy. 

The actors are meant to interact with the children—so whatever your young ones are inclined to do, let them. At the performance I attended, nearly the entire audience sat neatly in laps, but I’m told that’s not necessarily the norm. Speaking with Artistic Director Jill Anna Ponasik after the show, she noted that there tends to be two camps: kids who observe, and kids who want to be part of the show. Both are to be celebrated.

There’s no right or wrong way for a little one to experience Camille’s Rainbow. Heck, my almost two-year-old was the one kid in the room who got teary-eyed and needed to spend a few minutes back in the cozy nook before rejoining the performance. Speaking from experience, perhaps the biggest challenge lies with us—the grown-ups. 

We have to check our notions of “well behaved” at the door, allowing our kids to exclaim aloud, lay on the floor, snatch at the actors’ costumes, even drag us away. It’s okay! More than okay. This opera is meant to flow with, not in spite of, a child’s natural inclinations. In fact, Camille’s Rainbow ends with open play—something written into the script. It’s a fun way to round out the experience, watching the kids connect with each other, the actors, and the space. 

Camille’s Rainbow is a little marvel in its own right. It’s also a brilliant example of an experience we desperately need more of: exposure to enriching art that also allows kids to be kids. There is a rapt audience for this type of work—one that captures the imaginations of very young children while giving caregivers a fresh activity to help fill in the day.

My hope is that Camille’s Rainbow sparks a new genre of entertainment for young families who deeply crave more colorful, artful, and social formative years. Many thanks to Milwaukee Opera Theatre for bringing something so singular to Milwaukee.

Photo credit: Mark Frohna