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PSOG Second Annual Education Outreach
Another Huge Success!!!

In its second exciting season of intensive operatic educational outreach efforts, the Palm Springs Opera Guild was able to bring our own OPERASSEMBLIES!, OPERATALK! and OPERATIC FAVORITES FOR SENIORS! to nearly 4,000 Coachella Valley Student's and Senior Citizens! This year our intense season was held June 4-9, 2007.

PSOG contracted four terrific young singers (Jacqueline Bezek, soprano - Peabody Southwell, mezzo soprano - Patrick Layton, tenor - Douglas Carpenter, baritone), Mr. Bruce Mangum (from the Caballero's Palm Springs) on piano, and boasted our own Andrew Eisenmann (who also conceptualized, directed and produced the program for PSOG) as Emcee, for one full week of multiple student and adult outreach performances. Our audiences ranged from grades 1-12, and we also added our first, OPERATIC FAVORITES FOR SENIORS! performance at the Mizell Senior Center.

In just one year, PSOG has nearly quadrupled our outreach effort. This was possible, in part, by teaming up with Palm Springs Unified School District, who we appreciate greatly! THANKS TO DR. LORRI McCUNE and her TOP NOTCH TEAM OF EDUCATORS AT PSUSD!

  • We believe that educated young people (middle-aged and elderly too) make better leaders, and ARE the opera audiences of the future.

  • We are our proud to offer our entire program, FREE OF CHARGE, to the chosen school sites.

  • Opera is in the process of rapid growth, and its' audiences are getting younger and younger…opera is moving to the forefront of hi-tech theatre.

  • PSOG and PSUSD are PROUD to be 'riding the crest of the wave' in this important worldwide operatic renaissance!

    • In each OPERASSEMBLY!, students (along with teachers/principals/administrators) learned about our favorite art form, OPERA…what we do, what it entails, why we do it, and how it has changed our lives…we learned, laughed and even practiced some Italian.

    BRAVI TUTTI PSOG and PSUSD…working together
    in OPERATIC EDUCATION for the first time!

    Our programs were presented in three phases:

    OPERASSEMBLIES! (grades 1-6)

    These programs were originally intended for grades 3-6, grades 1-3 (completely by accident) attended an OPERASSEMBLY!, we all reached a new level of OPERATIC LOVE and APPRECIATION!

    Next year, we'll start our exciting, NEW, primary level opera outreach, featuring web access for teachers (and opera games and fun quizzes for students) and podcasting (hopefully with video feeds) for rural and outlying schools! Stay tuned to the PSOG website for the latest information.

    The following is reprinted (with permission) from the Palm Springs Unified School District Newsletter, June, 2007:

    Professional opera singers employed their considerable talents in "OPERASSEMBLIES!," produced and directed by Andrew Eisenmann, James Workman Middle School choir teacher and a member of the PSOG board. It featured performances by four PSOG singers from Palm Springs, Los Angeles, Orange County and Nevada. Eisenmann (Emcee for each performance) also educated youngsters about the components of opera, types and languages of opera and the appropriate ways to applaud for the art. The program was funded by a $10,000 grant from the PSOG.

    "It's amazing to go into the schools and watch the children's eyes twinkle and their bodies start swaying when they learn that opera is not a boring form of art, but actually one that can be quite fun and engaging. Our singers and presentations take opera to a whole new level with these kids…where learning about it is interactive, humorous, and most of all, great fun!", says Eisenmann. 

    OPERATALK! (high school music students)

    In our very first OPERATALK!, we went to Desert Hot Springs High School. Mr. Michael Bukraba and his advanced choir class met us at 9am, along with George Klauss, PSOG President (who attended every performance), Joan Boiko, PSUSD Public Relations Director and the Press Enterprise with camera's and a reporter, ready to learn. In the three hour session, our artists performed, gave lessons, had frank talks about college, languages (learn them NOW, kids), anecdotes, and shared life stories - all relating to careers in the magnificent field of opera. Students were enthralled and we hope that each and every student, teacher, and member of the press, left with an excitement for our favorite art form…OPERA!

    OPERATIC FAVORITES FOR SENIORS!

    Another first for PSOG! We were happy to bring a concert version of our student outreach to the Mizell Center in Palm Springs. Our audience was most appreciative, and gave a first rate response…our own resident baritone, Andrew Eisenmann, couldn't resist giving the audience an aria from Eugene Onegin and a song from Bohmler's Cycle, Cinema Song…every person in the house had a magical time, and again, had the chance to remember why we all fell in love with opera…opera has everything…it's music in drama and drama in music…it's beautiful singing that entwines voices, pathos, and raw emotion, coming from actors who get to interpret some of the most brilliant and memorable scores ever written…who couldn't fall for opera? I know I'm in love again…

    The PALM SPRINGS OPERA GUILD OF THE DESERT is committed to growing the opera community in the Coachella Valley, California and nation-wide. Our young singers are taking the world by storm, and our education programs are state of the art…unlike any other that we've found. The Coachella Valley is proud to boast one of the largest opera guild memberships in Southern California, and the board or trustees of PSOG is committed to the giving of opera to people, young and old, for many years to come…

    PLEASE JOIN US AND BECOME A VALUED MEMBER OF THE PALM SPRINGS OPERA GUILD TODAY!

    For More Information Contact:

    Andrew Eisenmann
    Palm Springs Opera Guild
    P.O. Box 1378, Palm Springs, CA 92263
    Tel: (760) 325-6107
    E-Mail: info@palmspringsoperaguild.com or operaguild@verizon.net