Tuned into history
St. Vincent DePaul students weave America's past into an original opera
By Elisabeth Nardi, Salt Lake Tribune (March 1, 2006)

In about 30-minutes, first-graders from St. Vincent DePaul Catholic School were able to tackle topics from the founding of America, the writing of the Declaration of Independence and the importance of voting. And they did it all while singing and acting in an opera they wrote themselves. Called "God Bless America," the patriotic opera featured Alexander Hamilton, Uncle Sam, Abraham Lincoln and even the Liberty Bell, played by Jackson Start. It was Start who came up with the idea to have the bell in the opera, which led to the theme of "Let Freedom Ring," said Jeanne Pence, first-grade teacher.

The students worked on the opera for months, and then performed it recently in front of the entire school and their families and friends. The performance was complete with props and costumes. Most of the students wore sailor caps and took the audience through the history of America. Three girls acted as the Nina, The Pinta and The Santa Maria. First graders put together the opera as a project. The Utah Symphony & Opera helped the youths create their masterpiece. It was performed in honor of Presidents Day.

Utah Symphony & Opera composer Emily Murphy was the one who actually wrote the music to the students' words. "I am shocked at what 6-year olds have produced with some help from a very gifted musician," Pence said. "She takes the children's words and puts it to music, she could match their voices to the songs." It's because the children created the opera that makes it very unique, she said. "They created it and have ownership over it. . . . I am like the band leader," she said. "It shows you the potential children have . . . they need a chance through the arts to share their joy."

The faculty got into the theme of the day as well. Teacher Kathy O'Melia dressed up as Ben Franklin, and Principal Mark Longe dressed as Abe Lincoln. The opera also involved eighth-graders. Throughout the year, the first- and eighth-graders have been paired together as buddies. During the opera, the eighth-graders, who helped their younger counterparts learn their lines, also narrated and sang with them. "When you are a 6-year-old and you are on the stage you need to know you have a friend," Pence said. "They can look around and see their eighth-grade buddy." But what Pence is perhaps most proud of is that the opera has caused her students to be creative. "My children are singing at home, I had boys singing," she said. "It goes along with when you create and have ownership you want to share."
enardi@sltrib.com