The popular Opera Hour for Kids series features special productions of opera classics performed in Hebrew by young members of the Opera Studio.
By MAXIM REIDER
The popular Opera Hour for Kids series features special productions of the opera classics performed in Hebrew by young members of the Opera Studio, accompanied by Israel Opera pianists. This Tuesday's production, Mozart's The Magic Flute (pictured), is one of four productions, which also include Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel, Gluck's Orpheus and Eurydice and an interactive program called "Let's Sing Opera," in which kids are taught to breathe correctly, to warm up their voices, and other operatic tricks of the trade. The kids sit on the carpet-covered floor of the spacious foyer of the Opera House on Shaul Hamelech Boulevard, while their parents sit on chairs. In fact, these abridged and simplified shows, which take place every second Tuesday at 5 p.m., serve as a pleasurable introduction to the world of opera not only for the little ones but for those parents for whom this is the first encounter with the genre. The Magic Flute production uses Ehud Manor's Hebrew translation and is presented by Michael Ajzenstadt. Suitable for ages 3 to 8, the shows run about an hour; ordering the NIS 25 tickets in advance is strongly recommended: (03) 692-7777.