Pandemic Progress on Alicia - The Virtual

Opera

Just as an update about Alicia and the opera, I've been working on this opera for several years. Last year I decided I would add the next act, and I had spoken to the Buffalo girls choir about recording the first songs. 

For those unfamiliar with opera production, it is a very time-consuming and resource-heavy endeavor. Typically these projects can take a few years to a decade to come to fruition. I was excited that finally, we were going to record the thought was that by 2021We would have a new opera.

However, The pandemic undoubtedly Stopped Any ideas for recording, live performance, or the opera at this time. In fact, I had moved on from making Alicia a virtual opera and making it into a live account.

With the pandemic, I decided to go back to the original idea of creating a virtual opera for children. My hope is that in a little bit of free time that I have between remote schooling my children, Working, and all the other things that taking care of a family during the pandemic entail I will be able to complete this opera in the next few months 2021 as originally intended.

It will look much different then the ideas I had in my mind. I moved from a virtual offer to create a live performance. But this seems to be the new normal, at least in the United States for the foreseeable future. 

I refused to join the naysayers that say that live performance, opera, and music will be irreparably destroyed by the pandemic. Already there are so manyThousands if not millions of music makers finding ways to use technology and ingenuity to create new work. I will endeavor to do the same.

So forgive the long hiatus with this project. I will periodically update this blog. To keep up with the latest, I encourage you to like my Facebook page and follow my composer blog.

JOIN MY FACEBOOK PAGE FOR NEWS FAST! 

Thank you,

Sabrina Peña Young

Alicia and the White Rabbit in Preproduction

Alicia and the White Rabbit in Preproduction

Thank you for stopping by our website. Alicia and the White Rabbit is currently in its preproduction stages. In this stage the libretto is being finalized, music sketches are being completed, and logistical/budget considerations are being made. This opera will begin production in summer 2017, with an anticipated completion date in 2018. 

Before a project like this can be completed, it takes a lot of work and organization. Part of this point of this project is to expose a younger generation to opera through a fun and educational medium. This will be accomplished through:

• Educational Opera Workshops 
• Children's Book (complete with information about opera, Alicia and the White Rabbit, album download and sheet music)
• Interactive educational website about opera and Alicia and the White Rabbit
• Easy-to-play piano/vocal arrangements available for free download for children
• Teacher Workbook on "What is Opera", using Alicia and the White Rabbit as a guide
• Instructional Video Web Series dedicated to opera production and Alicia and the White Rabbit

These are just some of the ways that we hope to make this opera project an exciting new addition to the opera canon and a means to educate young people about opera. 

My hope is that by pulling back the curtain on opera production that other young people will be encouraged to create new works of great musical theater. 

Thank you!

Sabrina Peña Young

Composer/Librettist Alicia and the White Rabbit, Libertaria: the Virtual Opera, and the web opera collaboration The Village. 

Theme from Alicia and the White Rabbit, Arranged for Beginner Piano and Flute