Opera flourishes anew in Atlanta as students' interest blossoms

• Kids group, APS students embracing music through live, local Met broadcasts

With technology and social media pulling youth’s attention away from arts and culture, local students, including a group known as the Opera Posse, are showing a passion and interest for performing arts and music education.

And for Atlanta Public Schools (APS) students, the Metropolitan Opera’s HD Live in Schools program is bringing them into movie theaters to watch live opera broadcasts. The unique program, sponsored by Bank of America, engages students by combining viewings with classroom activities and workshops provided by the Met.

“The Met Opera program brings great music alive and enhances the educational and personal experience of Atlanta students,” said Geri Thomas, Georgia market president, Bank of America. “The program also provides a foundation for the enjoyment of music and the performing arts throughout the students’ lives.”

Garnetta Penn, music teacher at Mays High School, is the Met HD Live in Schools program ambassador for APS. Penn says that because of this program, many of her students have been transformed into opera enthusiasts and have a newly found appreciation for the art.

Seeing an opera at a young age sparked love for the music and drama in the performances for another Atlanta student. In fact, she started an opera lovers guild for students.

“I don’t know who I’d be if I didn’t have opera in my life,” says Layla Felder, the 12-year-old founder of Kids Opera & Art Posse.

Layla loves The Met Opera HD program. Since many opera enthusiasts are older, she realized that if patrons don’t skew younger, the art form could wane. This prompted Layla to start Kids Opera & Art Posse, now with select members across the country.

In addition to seeing operas in Atlanta and a once a year New York City trip, the Opera Posse sponsors a family friendly fundraising event once a year to raise money for the HD Live in Schools program.

Photo caption: Mays High School students participate in an acting exercise. Mays music teacher Garnetta Penn is a Met HD Live in Schools program ambassador for Atlanta Public Schools.