A pizza-eating princess in distress, a castle in Baltimore, and Batman?

Each summer since 2005, the Wolf Trap Opera Company has been in residence for a week at the Children’s-Theatre-in-the-Woods, spinning crazy operatic tales with the help of children of all ages. Here’s how it works:

A group of energetic and hugely talented singers take the stage to tell the audience a little bit about this thing called opera. Why do we sing almost everything instead of talking? Who sings highest and who sings lowest? What’s the best Italian word to shout if you really like how someone sang?

The singers demonstrate a few different songs (“arias”), and the audience chooses the ones they like best for inclusion in the opera they’re about to write!

After everyone gets comfortable, the real fun begins. Suggestions are taken from the audience for a Mad Libs-style opera plot:

Once upon a time in (location), (Character #1) and (Character #2) (did something) every day, until (Character #3) and (Character #4) came along to (do something else)!

In a few hilarious minutes, we have our opera plot! Some favorites from previous summers:

Once upon a time in a castle, a king and a princess (quite bored, they were) swam every day (in the moat, of course) until Harry Potter and a dragon came along to fly with them.

Once upon a time in Disneyworld, Darth Vader and a dragon played cards every day until a pirate came along to find his treasure.

Once upon a time in a castle, a bat and a princess ate green eggs and ham every day until SpongeBob Square Pants came along to steal the princess.

Once upon a time on a snowy mountain, Mariah Carey and Batman went sledding every day until a bear came to find Nemo.

The opera singers have a couple of minutes to figure out how to sing this new World Premiere opera. Then the audience sits back, relaxes, and is treated to improv with a musical twist!

Come to both performances in one day for only $8!

Enjoy a picnic in the meadow between performances at Wolf Trap's Children's Theatre-in-the-Woods. Tickets may be purchased for a single performance for $5 or for both the 10 am and 11:15 am performances for only $3 more.


Join us before Wolf Trap Opera Company for...

Lesole's Dance Project
Stomp South Africa
Tuesday, July 15 - Saturday, July 19 at 11:15 am

Get ready for an exciting introduction to traditional, tribal, and modern dance from South Africa! Watch as miners communicate through Gumboots, warriors celebrate with Ndlamu, and Johannesburg residents socialize using Pantsula. With lots of audience participation throughout the show, Lesole’s Dance Project is sure to bring everyone to their feet.