NARRATIVE

Creative Tableaux by Teatro Grattacielo represents a pioneering and immersive approach to opera education, encompassing multiple art forms to foster creativity, collaboration, and appreciation for opera. Through the program, we aim to instill a lifelong love for the arts in the hearts of young students and community members, empowering them to become the next generation of opera enthusiasts, performers, and supporters.

Our program offers a unique collaboration of opera and visual arts to create an engaging and exciting educational experience for everyone. Through “Creative Tableaux,” participants will be immersed in the world of opera, learning about the art form as well as collaborating with professional opera creatives and visual art experts to create their own projects.

We believe it is important to promote opera as an art form in connection with other art forms, and “Creative Tableaux” does just that. Our program offers a comprehensive experience that explores the intersections between opera, visual art, and education.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

The primary goals of Creative Tableaux are as follows:

a. To foster an understanding and appreciation for opera among students and New York communities.

b. To promote the values of collaboration, creativity, and art education.

c. To stimulate critical thinking and expand participants’ artistic horizons.

d. To create unique and engaging experiences that combine opera and visual arts.

HISTORY
Creative Tableaux is the continuation of our successful 2021 “Tableaux of Amico Fritz”.

Over the span of 2021 to 2022, we had the privilege of engaging with 4000 students and community members. In June 2023, we furthered our commitment to enriching lives by conducting a series of school and community workshops and extended invitations to these enthusiastic participants for a complimentary performance of Mozart’s timeless masterpiece, Don Giovanni, at Riverside Theater on June 17th. The night our audience, comprised of passionate individuals from diverse backgrounds, including members of God’s Love We Deliver, the LGTBQ Center of NYC, The Hudson Guild, and several public schools, enthusiastically filled the venue, resulting in a sold-out show.

The program is split into two parts:

PART ONE: The warm-up (In person and on-line)

on the first part of this interactive, one (1) hour long program, we walk the students through the creative process of an opera:

• How an opera is commissioned and written
• How we create the visual elements (sets and costumes) of a new operatic production.

To accomplish this, we incorporate a diverse range of artistic elements that bring together the captivating short stories from William Maxwell’s acclaimed collection “The Old Man at the Railroad Crossing, and Other Tales,” paintings by visionary artists Lolita Valderrama Savage and Lydia Venieri, cutting-edge technology, immersive set designs, and captivating short opera clips. William Maxwell, renowned as one of the most influential writers of the previous century and esteemed editor of the New Yorker, lends his profound storytelling prowess to our production. Meanwhile, Greek artist Lydia Venieri, and groundbreaking Filipino artist Lolita Valderrama Savage, whose prolific body of work has garnered international recognition and enriched our educational programs and staged productions, stand as revolutionary artists who firmly believed in the profound interplay between art and music. By amplifying their voices, we strive to bring wider recognition to their invaluable contributions, which seamlessly align with our theme of operatic storytelling.

PART TWO: All elements come together! (In person and online)

FREE OPERA PERFORMANCES AT THE RIVERSIDE THEATER & THE GERALD LYNCH THEATER

Building upon the foundation laid in part one, we invite young audiences to immerse themselves in an immersive experience: attending full-scale opera performances at The Riverside Theater and at the Gerald Lynch Theater in NYC. On June 17th, 2023, they can witness an adapted rendition of Mozart’s timeless masterpiece, “Don Giovanni” (on Juan) at the Riverside Theater , followed by Spontini’s “La Vestale” on October 28th, 2023 at the Gerald Lynch Theater, which explores the story of a Roman priestess in the 3rd century AD.

These carefully curated productions not only entertain but also underscore the significance of appreciating the diverse artistic elements that shape our world. Drawing inspiration froDm Lolita Valderrama’s sketches for Don Giovanni, the scenic design amplifies the visual experience. In the case of La Vestale, the entire production has been meticulously crafted by Lydia Venieri, a visionary multi-disciplinary and multimedia artist. By seamlessly blending various art forms with opera, we strive to nurture a new generation of opera and art enthusiasts.

​SCHOLARSHIPS

•TeatroGrattacielo is offering two (2) $500 scholarships to students who write the best essay about the project
•Requirements: 1-page written essay
•Theme: The theme of the essay is up to the teacher, but it must be connected to CREATIVE TABLEAUX
•Deadline: October 31, 2023
•Winners Announced: December 2023

GENERAL INFORMATION

Our two trained staff will connect with you and your students by request, for free, OR your teacher can use our user-friendly guide/script.
Please click here for information about Teatro Grattacielo, its educational mission and info about our cast and creative team.
To learn more about our STORIES, please click here.
If you need further information or any assistance, please contact our Artistic Director Stefanos Koroneos at: stefanoskoroneos@grattacielo.org

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MAY 10th, 2023 - PART ONE - Carmen

We are excited to share that on May 10th, 2023, we presented our educational program, Creative Tableaux, to 800 enthusiastic kids. This interactive program consisted of a presentation, Q&A, and a mini performance of G. Bizet’s Carmen with a full orchestra. Most of these students have never heard or been in an opera performance.

​JUNE 19th, 2023 - PART ONE - Don Giovanni - Dominican Academy

We present PART ONE of Creative Tableaux at Dominican Academy in NYC on June 19th! This interactive session was filled with engaging Q&As, captivating projections, and hands-on set/costume workshops.

JUNE 26th, 2023 - PART ONE - Don Giovanni - Harrison Public Library

We present PART ONE of Creative Tableaux at the Harrison Public Library on June 19th! This interactive session was filled with engaging Q&As, captivating projections, and hands-on set/costume workshops.

JUNE 17th, 2023 - PART TWO - Don Giovanni - The Riverside Theater

On the evening of June 17th, the Riverside Theater in New York City buzzed with an electric atmosphere of creativity and inclusivity as we took the stage to present Mozart’s timeless masterpiece, Don Giovanni. This performance marked a significant milestone in the second part of our innovative multidisciplinary and intergenerational educational program, aptly named “Creative Tableaux.” The audience was comprised of an enthusiastic and diverse group, including members from several NYC public schools, seniors from the Hudson Guilt, volunteers from God’s Love We Deliver, members and staff of the LGBTQ Center of NY, and the general public.

In line with our commitment to inclusivity, we assembled a diverse cast and crew for this rendition of Don Giovanni. Our unwavering belief in the power of diversity shone through as talents from various backgrounds seamlessly fused together, delivering a vibrant and representative portrayal of Mozart’s work of art.

Embracing the creative energy of New York City, we infused the performance with elements that pushed the boundaries of traditional opera. Taking inspiration from the bold storytelling and vivid aesthetics of Spanish filmmaker Pedro Almodóvar, the production of Don Giovanni unfolded like a mesmerizing cinematic experience on stage. The characters sprang to life with vibrant colors, exuberant costumes, and innovative staging, captivating the audience and immersing them in a fresh and exhilarating way of perceiving opera.

CLICK BELOW TO DOWNLOAD TABLEAUX’S POWERPOINT PRESENTATION

DOWNLOAD THE COMPREHENSIVE 2023 FIRST REPORT HERE