Examining the Canadian Opera Company's Role in Opera Education in Ontario Schools: 1950-1 990
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Examining the Canadian Opera Company's Role in Opera Education in Ontario Schools: 1950-1 990 by Donnalee Smith B. A., Wilfrid Laurier University,l975 B. Ed., University of Toronto,I 976 Early Childhood Music Ed. Certificate, Ryerson University, 1997 A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of MASTER OF ARTS in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction We accept this thesis as conforming to the required standard O Donnalee Smith, 2004 University of Victoria All rights reserved. This thesis may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, by photocopy or other means, without the permission of the author. Supervisor: Dr. Betty Hanley Abstract As a music educator I discovered that many students shared my excitement about opera when it was part of their school program or on field trips to experience an opera. This discovery led me to wonder what opera education had been presented to teachers and students in the past and how effective these programs had been. This thesis examines the Canadian Opera Company's (COC) role in opera education in Ontario schools from 1950-1990. This historical study focuses on five major research questions to determine what happened in opera education for Ontario students over a 4-decade period. Data were collected in two ways. First, primary evidence was gathered from the Joan Baille Archives located in the Joey and Toby Tanenbaum Opera Centre in Toronto. Secondly, I interviewed four people who had been closely associated with the COC and were eye witnesses to some of the events over the 4 decades. The primary data from the Joan Baille Archives was organized by decade to address the five research questions, Interviews were transcribed and incorporated into the chronological events when applicable in order to relay the story. Although the COC did not have an educational mandate for Ontario students, many factors still assisted the introduction of opera education to students. In the 1950s under Mr. Geiger-Torel's leadership, connections with local school boards were established. Mr. Geiger-Torel attended conferences and promoted opera for students when opportunities arose. The out-of-school programs for elementary students were introduced as excursions to an opera performance at either the O'Keefe Centre or the MacMillan Theatres in Toronto during the 1960s and early 1970s. The secondary students attended afternoon performances in the 1950s at the Royal Alexandra Theatre. From the 1960s until present day both the secondary and junior high students attended operas at the O'Keefe Centre with their class. iii In-school elementary student programs began when the Prologue to the Performing Arts Program was introduced in the 1960s. The programs presented by the COC included a post opera chat with performers and a performance evaluation form for teachers. Pre-opera study guides in English or French and an opera cassette tape were provided for teachers and students in the 1980s. The operas for students were performed by the Ensemble starting in the 1980s. The out-of-town COC Opera Guilds provided leadership for the Prologue programs performed in Ontario communities outside the Toronto area. The COC was granted Canada Council and Ontario Arts Council grants to sustain the Prologue and Ensemble programs. Puppet opera was also introduced into the elementary schools in the early 1970s and continued successfully for a decade. In the 1980s the COC actively participated as the Canadian opera education representative for the new Opera America curriculum guide titled Working Ideas. Although all the programs experienced positive feedback over the decades, they each also experienced financial setbacks that resulted in the cancellation of some programs and the development of new initiatives. The enduring value of the COC's educational initiatives remains unclear. The story continues. Examiners: A Table of Contents Abstract .................................................................................................................... i Table of Contents............................................................................................ iv Acknowledgements.............................................................................................. vii ... Dedication.......................................................................................................... VIII CHAPTER ONE: Introduction ...................................................... 1 Rationale......................................................................................................... 1 Research Purpose........................................................................................... 6 CHAPTER TWO: Review of the Literature.............................. 8 Introduction........................................................................................................ 8 Why Opera Education for Children................................................................ 8 Importance of Early Exposure to Opera Education................................... 13 What's Happening in Opera Education in the United States.................... 15 Curriculum ....................................................................................................... 15 Opera Outreach-In-School Tour Programs.......................................... 21 Opera Outreach-Out-of-School Programs........................................... 23 Community OperaPrograms.................................................................. 23 Response to Opera Education Programs............................................ 24 Challenges to Opera Education in the United States .......................... 27 CHAPTER THREE: Methodology.............................................. 31 Historical Research........................................................................................ 31 Research Questions and Sub Questions ................................................... 39 CHAPTER FOUR: The 1950s .....................................................40 Initiation of Performances for Students...................................................... 40 Education and Opera Festival Association Collaborate ............................ 41 Conclusion...................................................................................................... 44 CHAPTER FIVE: The 1960s....................................................... 45 Secondary and Junior High School Student Opera Performances.......... 46 Opera Performances for Elementary Children............................................ 65 COC Links with Ontario Music Conference and Arts Organizations........ 71 COC Educational Extension-Initiation of Prologue to the Performing Arts ............................................................................................75 Conclusion...................................................................................................... 86 CHAPTER SIX: The 1970s..................................................... 88 Secondary and Junior High School Student Performances...................... 88 Elementary Children's Opera Performances.............................................. 91 Elementary Children's Puppet Opera Performances................................ 92 COC link with Prologue to the Performing Arts Tours............................... 96 COC Opera Guilds-Prologue Tours ....................................................... 108 Conclusion.................................................................................................. 109 CHAPTER SEVEN: The 1980s................................................. 112 Secondary and Junior High School Student Performances.................... 112 Elementary Children's Puppet Opera Performances............................ 114 The COC and Prologue's Alliance with COC Ensemble....................... 115 1980-1981............................................................................................. 116 1981-1982 ...........................................................................................124 1982-1 983 ............................................................................................ 129 1983-1984 ........................................................................................... 133 1984-1985............................................................................................. 139 1985-1 986 .............................................................................................143 1986-1987 .............................................................................................146 1987-1988 .............................................................................................5 1 1988-1 989 ............................................................................................. 152 1989-1990 ............................................................................................. 155 Initiatives of the Ensemble Co-ordinator and Opera America.............. 156 Conclusion............................................................................................... 159 CHAPTER EIGHT: Conclusions............................................... 161 Introduction................................................................................................. 161 Mandate and Programs............................................................................. 161 Helpful Factors.......................................................................................... 164 Hindrances...................................................................................................