“The Three Little Pigs” will come to life on Nov. 24 through the ETSU Opera Outreach Program.
A new project lead by Oliver Lo, assistant professor of music, is in motion. The professor and 14 other music students are striving to produce musical drama that is both educational and entertaining, Lo said.
The outreach program will introduce opera to those not familiar with it. Lo wants to present musical drama to local elementary schools.
“Let’s give the children a choice, they may like opera,” he said. “They can be entertained and educated.”
“The Three Little Pigs” will be presented to the music from four of Mozart’s operas. Creative adaptations of the original words from the story will be sung to the rhythms of songs “Women Like That,” “Don Juan,” “The Magic Flute” and “The Marriage of Figaro.”
Preceding the opera, guests from the Johnson City Library will tell the original tale.
The opera will focus on the way each pig built their home.
The third little pig went to the library to research the most efficient way of building a sturdy home. In the end, it was the pig’s sharp mental faculties that saved her from the big bad wolf, for he could not blow her house down.
Children in the audience will learn the importance of reading and what the library can offer them, Lo said.
The musical drama is intended for grades kindergarten through fifth, although it creatively reaches students of college age as well, Lo said. Parents will enjoy the opera too, as it encompasses a wonderful use of humor, he explained.
Lo believes he and his students gracefully combine education and humor in the performance. The opera is meant to be fun and is meant for the entire family.
The program is about 40 minutes long with time allotted at the end of the program for questions and answers.
Performances will be at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. Nov. 24 in Mathes Hall, room 107.
School officials can arrange performances by contacting Lo at Lo@mail.etsu.edu or 439-5787.

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