'Carmen' comes to 'Aina Haina classroom
By Suzanne Roig
Advertiser East Honolulu Writer
'AINA HAINA — The strains of Bizet's famous opera "Carmen" float out of the cafeteria like the scent of school lunch at noon.
Bruce Asato • The Honolulu Advertiser
Children come and go, practicing their lines. On the stage singing with a group of children is Georgine Stark, who played in the Hawaii Opera Theatre production at Neal Blaisdell Center several months ago. The chorus chimes in with youthful exuberance, led by one of three student conductors.
'Aina Haina Elementary School students recently rehearsed their production of the opera "Carmen" in the school cafeteria. Members of the Hawaii Opera Theatre have been working with the students to produce an abbreviated version of the show. The students will put their production on stage Friday. The performance is free and open to the public.
This is the opera "Carmen" 'Aina Haina Elementary School-style: Nearly half of its 339 students from kindergarten to sixth grade sings, acts or works backstage in this abbreviated production.
The students designed the sets based on scale models they created — a lesson in math. Teachers had students write reports on Spain during "Carmen's" time in the 1820s — a lesson in history.
One student, Justin Chee, rewrote the ending of the opera so the heroine doesn't die — a lesson in writing. In the three-hour version of the opera, Carmen, the heroine, is stabbed to death by her former boyfriend, Don Jose.
"We felt there was enough sadness in the world, especially in this post 9/11 world," said Carolyn Acoba, who teaches the school's gifted and talented. "It would be too difficult for younger children to see the heroine die."
The production is part of the Hawaii Opera Theatre's artist-in-residence program, where the theater comes to the school and helps it put on a show. Part of the abbreviated production is changing the dialogue to adapt to children's tastes.
"Acting is fun," said Ryne Mizushima, 10, a fourth-grader. "I've never done this before. I enjoy speaking and memorizing the parts."
Opera is one of those art forms that you either like or don't, said Stefanie Conching, who is directing the production. What's good about doing a production like this in the elementary schools is it gives children a chance to form their own opinion of the art form, Conching said.
Anyone interested in seeing 'Aina Haina Elementary School's production of "Carmen" at 6:30 p.m. and 7:45 p.m. Friday is urged to call the school at 377-2419. Seating is limited to 250 for this free production in the school's cafeteria.
"The kids involved are very serious," she said. "We're trying to offer them the choice to like opera or not. A lot of times you form an opinion on something based on the adults around you. If the students find they like opera, terrific, if not then at least they gave it a shot."
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Each year the theater chooses two schools to work with on a performance. The opera company last month helped perform "Carmen" on Moloka'i. Usually the performance is taken from the opera company's seasonal repertoire and adapted to match the attention span of youngsters, said Erik Haines, an opera company member.
"Almost always, our operas in this program are aimed at elementary students," said Haines. "They seem the most interested."
Once selected, the school has to buy into the program.
At 'Aina Haina, a considerable amount of money, teacher and parent support has gone into the production. More than a dozen teachers and custodians have been working on "Carmen." The school administration paid $2,500, the school's PTSA paid for all the incidentals and the opera theatre also obtained a grant, Acoba said.
At 'Aina Haina, which has never undertaken a production like this, the students are intent in following the rehearsal. It's been like this since auditions were held in March, Acoba said.
"This is the first time we've done something like this," Acoba said. "We don't want it to be the last. Everyone has been so excited by it. This is such a great opportunity. The kids are very focused."
It's a fairly intensive program, said Haines, who helps direct the show with Conching and will play Don Jose.
In April students met once a week for four hours. Since the beginning of May the rehearsal schedule has been cranked up to three times a week for a couple hours a day.
"One of the challenges in public education is that there isn't a lot of art left," Haines said. "Opera and lyric theater is a combination of art forms, music, drama, visual arts, fashion and the students have the exposure to that either by doing it themselves or seeing it in live theater."
Lindsie Miles, an 11-year-old fifth-grader, said she has never acted in a play before.
"It's kind of scary. I have stage fright," Miles said. "I've been practicing with my sisters, and I'm going to try to do my best."
Reach Suzanne Roig at sroig@honoluluadvertiser.com or 395-8831.
