Family Fun at Tulsa Opera

I enjoy the times Isabelle and I spend together doing girls night out. We get one every once and awhile. I cherish these times to bond with her where we can explore new places and interests together. Twice recently we’ve had a blast at shows put on by Tulsa Opera. 

Isabelle’s interest in Tulsa Opera started this year when their Raise Your Voice Tour came to her school. The initiative reaches over 4,000 second graders in 51 Tulsa elementary schools through an interactive performance. This year it was a performance called Frida Kahlo and the Bravest Girl in the World. Teachers received a resource guide to help prepare students. The performance was all Isabelle talked about for several weeks!

History of Tulsa Opera

I was intrigued, so decided to learn all I could about Tulsa Opera. The history is incredible. Tulsa Opera was the first performing arts organization established in Oklahoma! It is also the 12th-oldest opera company in North America, and one of America’s Top 10 favorite regional opera companies according to Opera News magazine. You can read more about its history here. 

Opera is for Everyone

Don’t think you or your kids would enjoy an opera performance? You might be very wrong. Opera music is powerful and versatile. The performances are engaging and fun! Opera is for everyone. You do not have to dress or look a certain way. Just show up and enjoy the music. In a way that not all companies do, Tulsa Opera embraces both timeless opera and musical theater. They also develop fun, modern performances. An example of an upcoming unique spin is “Opera Rocks the Country,” which is an already sold-out performance of opera and country music at The Church Studio in June. 

An Evening with Tulsa Youth Opera

This past weekend, Isabelle and I attended Bibbidi Bobbidi Broadway. This was Tulsa Youth Opera’s production featuring Jen Gambatese, who has been in Hairspray, Footloose, Tarzan, and School of Rock (and more!) on Broadway. The night was full of Disney songs and other familiar tunes. The adults and children in the audience were engaged the entire time. It was truly a magical evening. Tulsa Youth Opera (TYO) is a tuition-free training program for singers in grades 3-12. It is incredible that we have such a resource in our city, and the TYO kids were outstanding!

There are wonderful performing arts organizations in our city, and Tulsa Opera is one of them. These organizations need our support. Whether you are planning a whole family night out, friends night, guys night, or girls night out like we did, consider getting tickets to a performance right here in our city. From cultural exposure to development of musical taste, there’s never a wrong time to introduce children to performing arts.