Do symphonic orchestras only perform symphonies? Is an operetta a short opera? Does ballet only ever happen at balls? Who’s haunting The Haunted Manor? Do you have to get dressed up for a dress rehearsal? And, finally, what goes on at the back of the stage while there is a performance on? Young music fans frequently have very different questions to adults, and their range of interests can be far broader than more experienced audiences.
Hoping to answer these questions and encourage children’s boundless curiosity, the Kraków Opera has prepared the Opera Unlimited, a series of musical events especially for children. They will be able to see and hear fragments of grand operas, operettas, musicals and ballets (including The Haunted Manor, Carmen, Don Giovanni, The Merry Widow and Swan Lake), discover writers of operas and famous singers, and learn about how musical performances are organised. The premiere took place on 30 October 2012; participants should also keep an eye on the calendar for dates of forthcoming events, since the programme is constantly evolving, with new themes, artists and works being added all the time. It is unlimited opera, after all :-). (Barbara Skowrońska)
