CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA (December 20, 2019) — Cedar Rapids Opera Theatre will present two free public performances of its 2020 Children’s Opera, The Enchanted Forest by Anna Young, on Saturday, January 11. Each performance will be introduced by Miss Iowa 2019, Emily Tinsman, who will also lead a question and answer session with the performers following the afternoon performance.
The morning (10:30AM) performance will be held at Cedar Rapids Public Library, 450 Fifth Ave SE. The afternoon performance (1:30PM) will be held at Iowa Children’s Museum, Coral Ridge Mall, Coralville. This production exclusively features members of CROpera’s Young Artist Program, emerging professional singers from across the US.
The Enchanted Forest is an interactive show which allows the audience to choose certain plot elements before the performance begins. (Will the hero be a prince or princess? Will the weapon be a sword or loaf of bread?) The show is then performed according to these directives. The Enchanted Forest incorporates works by Mozart, Gilbert and Sullivan, Bizet, Puccini, Donizetti, and Verdi, giving the audience a tour of famous operatic song while enjoying an entertaining and family-friendly show.
Young Artist Program sponsors include GreatAmerica Financial Services, Giacoletto Foundation, and Aegon Transamerica Foundation. The performance at Iowa Children’s Museum is co-sponsored by Iowa Children’s Museum.
Tinsman has a degree in Music Education from Drake University. Her platform as Miss Iowa was “Americans for the Arts — Advocate, Educate, Invest.”
CROpera Young Artists for 2020 include:
Christina Adams (mezzo), Chicago, IL
Ashley Armstrong (mezzo), Winterset, IA
Edward Brennan (tenor), New Lenox, IL
Nolan Brown (baritone), Urbandale, IL
Zachary Brown (baritone), New York, NY
Benjamin Burney (tenor), Youngstown, OH
Ian Butler (tenor), Cedar Rapids, IA
Samantha Hornback (soprano), Baltimore, MD
Jacob Lay (baritone), Ellenwood, GA
Molly McDonough (soprano), Cedar Rapids, IA
Michelle Monroe (mezzo), Cedar Falls, IA
Janese Pentico (soprano), Salem, WI
Josh Reynolds (baritone), Lubbock, TX
Bo Wang (tenor), Ft Worth, TX
The Enchanted Forest will also be touring area elementary schools January 6-17. School Outreach Sponsors include: Margaret A. Haupt Music Enrichment Fund of the Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation, Cedar Rapids Community School District, Wells Fargo, and Van Meter Inc.
