EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH
Learn more about opera, our productions, how to engage with us, and more!
WINNERS OF OUR
ART CHALLENGE GRADES 6 - 12
Get inspired!
FIRST PLACE - Jade C.
First Place winner, Jade, created a traditional Guatemalan alfombra de aserrín out of dyed sawdust, using Don Quixote as inspiration.
Honorable Mention winner, Jaclyn, was inspired by "The Impossible Dream" and created a collage of newspaper headlines overlapped with a drawing of a person reaching for their unreachable star.
Well done, young artists!
HONORABLE MENTION - Jaclyn J.
Piedmont Opera wants to see your art inspired by Man of La Mancha and the lyrics to “The Impossible Dream”. Deadline to enter is April 6, 2025.
Create an original piece of art using any medium. Whether it’s visual art, performance art, or written art, we encourage you to explore and experiment with your creativity.
To officially enter this challenge:
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Follow Piedmont Opera on Instagram and/or Facebook
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Post a photo or video of your work (or your child’s work on their behalf)
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Tag @piedmontopera to be sure we see it
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If you don’t have an account on Instagram or Facebook, email your submission to mhartle@piedmontopera.org by April 6 giving us permission to share it on our social accounts on your behalf
One winner will receive a $50 gift card to a local restaurant of their choice and up to four tickets for their family to see one of our mainstage productions in 2025-26! The winner will be selected by a panel and announced on our social media on April 7, 2025.
The Impossible Dream (The Quest)
Lyrics by Joe Darion. Music by Mitch Leigh.
To dream the impossible dream,
to fight the unbeatable foe,
to bear with unbearable sorrow,
to run where the brave dare not go.
To right the unrightable wrong,
to love pure and chaste from afar,
to try when your arms are too weary,
to reach the unreachable star.
This is my quest,
to follow that star --
no matter how hopeless,
no matter how far.
To fight for the right
without question or pause,
to be willing to march into hell for a
heavenly cause.
And I know if I'll only be true to this
glorious quest
that my heart will be peaceful and calm
when I'm laid to my rest.
And the world will be better for this,
that one man scorned and covered with scars
still strove with his last ounce of courage.
To reach the unreachable stars.
PO on the Go!
Bringing Piedmont Opera professionals to you!
We love innovation and collaboration! Below are a few ideas, and we'd love to hear your ideas, too! Use the form below to connect with us and get a quote.
Behind The Scenes
Invite a guest speaker to your group or organization ahead of a mainstage production to learn about the opera, its composer, and what to expect at Piedmont Opera's production.
Career Education
There are many career fields within the world of opera. Bring in a professional as a guest speaker to your school, class, or organization to educate and inspire.
TOURING CHILDREN'S OPERA
Together, Piedmont Opera and UNCSA's A.J. Fletcher Opera Institute take opera into elementary schools and other organizations that support children and underserved audiences. Watch for our 2025-26 announcement coming soon!
ALL 2024-25 DATES HAVE BEEN BOOKED
It's true! You can bring Pinocchio: The Opera to your school!
Age Group
Recommended for students in Kindergarten through 5th grade. A teacher packet (pdf) is provided. One printed copy is available upon request.
Duration & Cost
35 minutes, plus a 10-minute Q&A session with the performers for $150 invoiced by PO after the performance. (Limited sponsorships may be available.)
Requirements
An all-purpose room, gymnasium, or auditorium; microphone with a stand; tuned piano or stationary keyboard.
Scheduling
Performances may occur between 8:30AM and 10:30AM. Dates are scheduled in the order requests are received.
Stepping into a new and unknown world, Pinocchio is deceived by Wolf and Cat and persuaded to disobey his father by skipping school in order to meet Dr. Dulcamara, a loathsome puppeteer.
Realizing the puppet’s value, Dulcamara holds Pinocchio captive, intending to have him perform with his miraculous mechanical doll, Olympia. Puppet and doll become friends, and when Dulcamara breaks Olympia in a fit of rage, Pinocchio runs home to admit his disobedience and ask his father’s forgiveness. Pinocchio and his dad race back to save Olympia.
As Pinocchio resolves to always tell the truth and share his problems with trusted grown-ups, he and his father head home to repair Olympia and begin life anew as a family of three.
About Our Partnership
The A.J. Fletcher Opera Institute is an Academic Institute of Higher Education. Piedmont Opera is a nonprofit professional opera company. The A.J. Fletcher Opera Institute is not financially supported by Piedmont Opera, and Piedmont Opera is not financially supported by the A.J. Fletcher Opera Institute. Both organizations collaborate to bring you this educational program. We invite our patrons and donors to become engaged in supporting this traveling opera. A gift at any level helps keep the arts in schools and exposes elementary students to opera while teaching important moral lessons. Teachers receive a comprehensive packet filled with pre- and post-show information and activities that align with NC teaching standards to take students from exposure to comprehension. If you would like to help support this partnership or sponsor a school, please contact Piedmont Opera at mhartle@piedmontopera.org or 336.725.7101.
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Meet the Cast
These hard-working, talented, and dedicated performers are graduate level students of the A.J. Fletcher Opera Institute of UNCSA working on professional degrees in opera. Once accepted into these highly selective programs, students perform in fully-staged productions of new and established operatic works and participate in touring and outreach programs. Extensive performance experience is enriched by advanced studies in voice, language, diction, operatic literature, acting, movement, stage combat, and career enhancement strategies.
Alicia Bivona
Narrator/Old Blue Lady/Olympia
Claire Griffin
Narrator/Old Blue Lady/Olympia
Callie Illiff
Pinocchio
Tommy Johnston
Geppetto/Cat
Carolyn Orr
Pinocchio
Marcel Pietrus
Wolf/Dr. Dulcamara
Christian Souza
Geppetto/Cat
Kevin Spooner
Wolf/Dr. Dulcamara
PG Hazard
Pianist
UNCSA Staff
Steven LaCosse
Artistic Director
UNCSA Staff