HAWAII OPERA THEATRE Opera Express Presents

Opera Express is supported in part by The State Foundation on Culture and the Arts through appropriations

from the Legislature of the State of Hawaii; the Bretzlaff Foundation; Sidney E. Frank Foundation; Leahi Swim School; Sheree and Levani Lipton; the Arthur and Mae Z. Orvis Foundation; and the National Endowment for the Arts.

1

TABLE OF CONTENTS The Mikado 3

Cast Synopsis

3 4

What is Opera? How Did Opera Develop? Opera Terms Opera Related Resources on the Internet

6 8 9 18

William Schwenck Gilbert Arthur Seymour Sullivan

19 20

GAMES & ACTIVITIES: Questions for Students Reader’s Theatre Order of Events The Mikado—Who did it? Color this Japanese Spear Dancer Yum-Yum’s Crossword Puzzle Katisha’s Word Search Help Ko-Ko get out of Jail Help Nanki-Poo find Yum-Yum Make an Origami Piano Origami Jumping Frog Ko-Ko’s Krunchi Snack

21 22 23 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 34 36

SOLUTIONS: 37 Order of Events Solution 38 The Mikado—Who Did It? Solution 39 Yum-Yum’s Crossword Puzzle Solution 40 Katisha’s Word Search Solution 41 Maze Solutions 42 Teacher Questionnaire

43

2

The Mikado Music by Sir Arthur

Sullivan Libretto by W. S. Gilbert

Adapted by Allyson Paris & Eric Schank With assistance from Erik Haines

CHARACTERS Yum-Yum Katisha

a lovely young maiden a noblewoman

Nanki-Poo Emperor of Japan

son of the Emperor

Ko-Ko

the Lord High Executioner

STAGE DIRECTORS Erik Haines & Blythe Kelsey PIANIST Eric Schank SET DESIGNER Gordon Svec DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION Erik Haines

3

IN BRIEF Nanki-Poo, son of the Emperor of Japan, has fled his father’s court to avoid marrying the ugly Katisha. Because he is unable to marry Yum-Yum, the woman he really loves, he offers himself as the next subject for public execution to Yum-Yum’s betrothed, the Lord High Executioner Ko-Ko. In a comic turn of events, everything turns out right for the two young lovers when the Emperor, “The Mikado,” arrives searching for his missing son. Location: Time:

Japan 18th Century

Prologue:

Nanki-Poo has run away from home because his father “The Mikado” decided he must marry Katisha, a woman who lives in the palace. Besides being unattractive, Nanki-Poo thinks she is too old for him. Pretending to be a traveling musician, Nanki-Poo falls in love with Yum-Yum, a young lady from Titipu. Although Yum-Yum loves Nanki-Poo, they can’t get married because she is already engaged to Ko-Ko. Heartbroken, Nanki-Poo leaves to continue his travels. However, when he hears that Ko-Ko has been put in jail for flirting, Nanki-Poo hurries back to Titipu.

Overture Act I:

Once back in Titipu, Nanki-Poo looks for Yum-Yum, hoping they can at last get married. He soon learns otherwise. Unhappy because of a law requiring the execution of anyone caught flirting, the townspeople have made Ko-Ko, who was next to be executed for flirting, the Lord High Executioner. They know it would be very hard for him to cut off his own head. Upon finding Yum -Yum, Nanki-Poo tells her how much she means to him, but they both know that she is engaged to Ko-Ko. Meanwhile, Ko-Ko is in trouble again. The Mikado has instructed him to execute someone soon or he will loose his job and the city will be demoted to the rank of village! After much thought, Ko-Ko devises a plan in which Nanki-Poo will marry Yum-Yum and then be executed a month later. This will save the city, save Ko-Ko, and allow Nanki-Poo to marry Yum-Yum—at least for a short while.

Act II:

Yum-Yum and Nanki-Poo are planning their wedding when Ko-Ko arrives with bad news. According to a law he just discovered, when a married man is executed, his wife must also be punished! After some quick thinking, Ko-Ko plots to have a fake execution after which he will let Nanki-Poo and Yum-Yum run away. The Mikado and Katisha arrive looking for Nanki-Poo. Ko-Ko, not knowing the reason for their visit, tells them of the execution and presents them with the affidavit of completion. When Katisha sees that it was Nanki-Poo who was executed, Ko-Ko finds himself in trouble for executing the heir to the throne.

4

While the Mikado and Katisha are having lunch, Nanki-Poo returns to Titipu and learns about Ko-Ko’s new problem. He tells Ko-Ko the only chance he has to save himself will be to marry Katisha. Although the thought of it makes him sick to his stomach, Ko-Ko agrees that marrying Katisha is better than being executed. Now that Katisha is married to Ko-Ko, Nanki-Poo can tell his father of his marriage to Yum-Yum. Happy that his son is still alive, The Mikado pardons Ko-Ko, who has learned that lying is never a good solution to a problem. Everyone sings joyously as the story comes to an end.

5

WHAT IS OPERA? Famed composer Richard Wagner was speaking for all opera composers when he was developing his concept of a Gesamtkunstwerk, that is, a total art work. He wrote that his goal was to combine singing, orchestral music, drama, story telling, literature, painting, and dance into a single work of art. An opera, in its most basic description, is a drama in which the actors and actresses sing most or all of their lines throughout. It is a musical dramatic work which combines music, drama, and spectacle in various ways, although traditionally, the music has played the dominant role. Some of the renowned composers of opera include Gaetano Donizetti, Georg Frederick Handel, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Giacomo Puccini, Gioacchino Rossini, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Giuseppe Verdi, and Richard Wagner.

Operetta is a term which refers to a light opera with spoken dialogues, songs, and dances. While an

opera’s plot will usually be serious and dramatic, an operetta’s plot tends to be light and comic-oriented. The term “operetta” is commonly used to describe, in addition to light opera, other works that are smaller-scale derivatives of opera. The operetta, as a specific form, is generally believed to have evolved in Paris in the mid-19th Century, to establish a short, light-hearted operatic-style works, in order to fill a void left by the increasingly serious and ambitions of the opéra comique and vaudeville.

Renowned composers associated with operetta include Franz Lehár, Jacques Offenbach, Johann Strauss II, as well as, the team of William S. Gilbert (librettist) and Arthur S. Sullivan.

Musical is term loosely used to describe the popular musical theatre of the 20th Century. The term

includes the ‘musical comedy’ which signifies a more light-hearted work with song and dance numbers, and the ‘musical play’ which generally signifies a work with a more serious plot. The roots of a “musical” are found in comic opera, operetta, vaudeville, and burlesque, and consists of musical numbers incorporated within a dramatic framework. And, while an operetta uses an operatic vocal style, many different vocal styles can be found in a musical, including jazz, rock, pop, folk, and classical. Renowned lyricists (authors of the text for music) and composers associated with musicals include Irving Berlin, Leonard Bernstein, George and Ira Gershwin, Oscar Hammerstein II, Lorenz Hart, Jerome Kern, Alan Jay Lerner, Frederick Loewe, Cole Porter, Richard Rodgers, Stephen Sondheim, Andrew Lloyd Webber, and Kurt Weill.

6

IN BRIEF: Opera Plot:

Historical, mythological, and/or reality based

Music:

Orchestral accompaniment, overture, chorus, most or all text sung.

Other:

No amplification.

Operetta Plot:

Fictional, comic

Music:

Orchestral accompaniment, overture, chorus, dialogue often spoken. Generally composed in 19th-Century operatic style.

Other:

No amplification. Electronic synthesizers used often in 20th Century operettas.

Musical Plot: Various Music:

Orchestral accompaniment, overture, chorus, dialogue usually spoken. Various 20thCentury contemporary music styles.

Other:

Amplification often used. Synthesizers and other electronic instruments often used.

7

HOW DID OPERA DEVELOP? Baroque Period: 1600 - 1750 Opera is the first form of entertainment to combine vocal music, instrumental music, drama, poetry, painting, and dance into single work of art. This type of entertainment started in Italy around the year 1600, and was strictly entertainment for the nobility. Opera was originally used for special occasions such as weddings and coronations. Towards the mid-1600’s, public opera houses became very popular, and by the end of the century, opera houses were found throughout Europe. Dafne by Jacopo Peri, first seen in 1598, is the first work considered to be a true opera. Although it became famous throughout Europe, only a few pages have survived. The earliest opera for which the score has survived is Euridice, also by Peri, in 1600. The earliest opera composer whose works are still regularly performed today, is Claudio Monteverdi (1567 - 1643). His earliest opera, La Favola d’Orfeo, was first performed in 1607.

Classical Period: 1750 - 1800 The classical period of music, 1750-1800, saw the dramatic aspect of opera taking precedence over the showing-off of voices. The words became of prime importance and there was a change in the style of writing musical accompaniments so that text could be easily understood. Support for opera shifted from the nobility to the middle class from this time forward. Although the plots to operas of this time are often far-fetched stories designed to merely entertain, it was during this time that Mozart wrote the first great operas. His works were immediately popular and remain so to this day largely to the importance placed on the drama of the shows he created. These operas include Don Giovanni, Le Nozze di Figaro (“The Marriage of Figaro”), Die Zauberflöte (“The Magic Flute”), and Così fan tutte.

Romantic Period: 1800 - 1900 Opera, during this time period, became much more elaborate. It began to use larger orchestras, more chorus, and the plots were often taken from real life. Opera became very “real” in what was presented on the stage and was known as verismo, or realism. Some of the most famous composers of opera come from this time including Verdi, Leoncavallo, Wagner, Rossini, Bellini, Donizetti, and Bizet.

Twentieth Century (Modern): 1900 - Present From 1900 to the present, the idea of dramatic realism continued but the style and musical language in which the music was written became more modern and complex. Composers of the twentieth-century include Puccini, Stravinsky, Strauss, Debussy, Britten, Gershwin, Bernstein, etc. As opera moves into the twenty-first century, many of the pieces we recognize as being Broadway Musicals are making their way to the opera house and are being adopted as opera. Porgy and Bess was the first, and many others will surely follow. In the future, shows such as West Side Story, and Les Miseràbles may be performed by the same companies that perform as works written by Puccini, Verdi, Wagner, and Mozart.

8

OPERA TERMS

A

Accompanist

A term which generally refers to a person who plays the piano while a vocalist is singing.

Acoustics

Anything pertaining to the sense of hearing. Science pertaining to the properties, production, and transmission of sound.

Aria

Italian term meaning “air”. A song that is sung by a single voice in an opera.

Art

The use of a variety of means to answer a special purpose. Used to express ideas, entertain, and enlighten.

Articulation

The physical process of appropriately forming and uttering distinct consonants, syllables, and/or words.

Audience

An assembly of listeners; the people viewing and listening to the show.

B Baritone

The male voice type whose range lies between that of the tenor and bass.

Bass

The lowest male voice.

Bass-Baritone

The male voice type whose quality is somewhat lighter than a bass, but heavier than a dramatic baritone.

Bel Canto

Italian term meaning “beautiful singing.” The term Bel Canto commonly refers to not only a style of singing, but also to an era in operatic history, to a musical style, and to a technique for training the singing voice.

Blocking

Specific entrances, exits, movements, positions, etc., for everyone who appear on stage.

Bravo

Italian term meaning “brave”; “Well done!” The correct usage is to say bravo to a male, brava to a female, and bravi to the company.

9

C Cadenza

A section of an aria where the singer may improvise.

Characters

The people in the story of an opera; also called roles.

Choreographer

The person in charge of designing steps and movements on stage, usually for dancers.

Chorus

A group of singers who generally function as a unit on stage.

Coloratura

Derived from the German term Koloratur, signifying vocal ornamentation. (It is not derived from the Italian language, as commonly believed, where the proper expression for “coloring” would be colorazione. The Italian term for indicating rapid scales and embellishments is fioritura, meaning “flowery”.) The term coloratura is generally used to describe 1) turns, rapid scales, trills, and similar embellishments, 2) the singing of these ornaments, and/or 3) a high-soprano who specializes in this style of singing.



Coloratura Soprano The highest of all female voice types, noted for extreme agility in executing rapid scale passages. Composer

The person who writes the music for the opera.

Comprimario

Italian term meaning “subprincipal”. A secondary, supporting role in an opera.

Conductor

The person responsible for the interpretation of the score, as well as the coordination of the performance. This is the person standing in the orchestra pit waving his/her arms at the singers and instrumentalists. The Conductor is usually also the Music Director of the opera.

Contralto

The lowest female voice. The contralto often portrays an older female character.

Costume Designer The person responsible for designing and creating the clothes worn by the characters appropriate to the time period and the style of the opera. Countertenor

A falsetto-dominated male voice.

Crew

A group of people who work behind the scenes, and is responsible for setting up and running all of the equipment for a performance, including changing sets, props, running the lights, curtains, sound effects, and giving assistance to the performers with costumes and makeup.

10

D Dance Diction

E

The expressive use of the body to convey a story, emotion, and/or pleasing visual effect. Dance in opera ranges from simple ballets to integral use of choreography as a dramatic element. Dancers are often included in an opera, usually as part of large crowd scenes, but also can be featured in solo roles. The pronunciation and enunciation of words during speech or singing.

Ensemble

French term meaning “together”. Any combination or group of performers. A piece in which a group of two or more sings or plays together. A group of two is called a duet; a group of three is a trio; a group of four is a quartet; a group of five is a quintet; and, so on.

Encore

An encore generally refers to an extra piece performed after the completion of the last scheduled piece in a concert, as requested by the audience.

Enunciation

The act of pronouncing articulate sounds.

F

Falsetto

A false tone. The term refers to the high “head voice” sound produced by most adult male singers without chest resonance, which resembles sound produced by female singers.

Finale

The last movement or the closing portion of an act in an opera.

Forte

Italian term meaning “strong”. A direction to sing or play powerfully or loudly.

Fortissimo

The superlative form of forte. A direction to sing or play twice as loud/powerful as forte.

11

G

Grand Opera

H

An opera which has its libretto entirely set to music; its text completely sung.

Head Voice

Term which generally refers to quiet or soft singing in the upper range of the voice.

Heldentenor

German term meaning “hero-tenor” or “heroic tenor.” A tenor possessing exceptional power, and whose natural tessitura is slightly lower than that of a lyric or dramatic tenor, suitable for heavy operatic parts (Tenore robusto in Italian).

I

Interlude

A short instrumental music number or passage, usually for orchestra, to be played between two acts or scenes in an opera. (Intermezzo in Italian) Intermission

L

A break between acts in an opera.

Lament

Usually refers to a vocal piece based on a mournful text.

Legato

Italian term meaning “bound” or “connected”; connection between two or more tones of a musical phrase. The term refers to a smooth connection between notes (opposite of staccato).

Libretto

Italian term meaning “small book.” A “small book” or manuscript containing the verbal text, both sung and spoken, for an opera; also commonly used to describe the actual verbal text itself. (Librettist is the person who writes the text for an opera.)

12

L

(Continued)

Light Opera

An opera with a generally cheerful music score and a trivial, entertaining plot.

Lyric

A term derived from the Latin lyra, or “lyre”, an ancient musical instrument possessing light, flowing tonal qualities; a voice type possessing those tonal characteristics. In the context of singing, it refers to any voice of lighter weight and texture. The term also refers to a text set to music.



M Maestro

A master of any art; specifically, a master in music. The term usually refers to the musical composer of the opera.

Makeup

Cosmetics used to accentuate and highlight, or even disguise the facial features for a performance.

Mezza voce

Italian term meaning “half voiced.” Vocal sound with lower level of intensity.

Mezzo forte

Italian term meaning “half loud”. A direction to sing or play softer or less powerful than that of forte, but louder or more powerful than that of mezzo piano.

Mezzo-Soprano

A female voice type whose sound characteristics are heavier than a soprano, but lighter than that of a contralto.

O

Opera Buffa

Italian term meaning “comic opera.” Opéra Bouffe in French.

Opéra Comique

French term for an opera which contains spoken dialogue, whatever the nature of the opera may be. It does not refer to a comic opera, as the name would suggest.

Opera Seria

Italian term meaning “serious opera.”

13

O

(Continued)

Orchestra

An instrumental ensemble consisting of string, wind, and percussive instruments. A group of instrumentalists that accompanies the singers, and provides the music for the opera.

Overture

Derived from the French ouverture, which means “opening”. An instrumental musical number, usually for orchestra, which introduces the opera.

P

Painting

Visual art expressed through the use of combinations of colors which are used to make visual impressions. Painting is often used to provide visual background as part of the scenic design for an opera.

Pants Role

A male character role, which is sung by a female singer (also referred as Trouser Role).

Piano

Italian term meaning “soft”. Direction to sing or play softly.

Pianissimo

The superlative of piano. Direction to sing or play twice as soft as piano.

Portamento

Italian term meaning “carrying”. Carrying the tone from one note to the other without gaps.

Postlude

A closing piece of music following other music, drama, etc.

Prelude

An introductory piece of music before an act of an opera. The famed composer Richard Wagner, in some of his music-dramas, uses the shorter introductory orchestral prelude, in place of a long, formal overture.

Prima Donna

Italian term meaning “first lady.” It is the name given to the leading female singer in an opera, or the principal soprano of an opera company.

Principal Role

A primary character (or characters) in the opera around whom the action revolves. Also referred as a Major role or a Leading role, and can also include Featured roles.

14

P

(continued)

Production Team

The group of people who work together to ensure a quality interpretation and production of an opera.



A production team generally consists of the following people:



-

Props

Visual elements of the scene which are not actual parts of the set. The small props carried by the performers are called hand props (fans, knives, candlesticks, etc.), while the larger props, such as furniture pieces or paintings, are called set props.



R Recitative

S

Music Director/Conductor Stage Director Choreographer Scenic Designer Costume Designer Lighting Designer Technical Director.

Music written, normally for a single voice, which follows closely the natural accentuation and rhythm of speech.

Scenery

The visual background for the opera. Sets can reflect the locale and the historical circumstances of the story.

Scenic Designer

The person responsible for creating and designing the visual background of the production, including the set.

Sitzprobe

German term meaning “seat-rehearsal”. First rehearsal of an opera with orchestra, during which the singers remain seated on stage.

15

S

(Continued)

Soprano Sotto Voce

Term derived from the Italian word sopra, meaning “above”. Highest of the three divisions into which female voices are categorized. The leading heroine of the opera is usually a soprano, and is usually paired with or in love with a tenor. A star soprano of the opera is often called the Prima Donna. Italian term meaning “under voice.” Softly; whispered.

Spinto

Italian term meaning “pushed” or “stretched”. It is used to describe a voice type (usually a soprano or tenor) that is lyric, but also large enough to sing dramatic roles.

Stage Director

The person responsible for the staging and dramatic, as well as the overall presentation of the opera (or simply referred to as the Director).

Stage Manager

The person who superintends the production and performance, and is in charge of regulating all matters on stage and behind the scenes.

Supernumeraries

The people who appear on stage in costumes in non-singing, non-speaking roles.

Supertitles

Translations of the foreign words that are projected above the stage during a performance in order to help the audience follow the story.

Synopsis

A brief summary of the story plot of the opera.

T

Technical Director The person who supervises the people involved in the implementation of the concepts of the designers, and also oversees the building of sets, props, and hanging of lights. Tenor

The highest male voice type. The tenor is usually the hero of the opera, and is generally paired with or in love with the soprano.

Tessitura

Italian term meaning “texture”. The term refers to a particular kind of tonal coloration and voice quality that determines vocal classification. In more recent times, however, it generally refers to the portion of the vocal range within which the majority of pitches in a given piece of music are concentrated.

16

T

(Continued)

Tragedy

A type of drama in which a fatal or mournful event is the main subject or theme.

Tremolo

A rapid quivering effect in singing or playing. A vibration of the voice in singing for the production of certain effects.

Trill

An accelerated movement of two musical tones. In musical ornamentation, a trill is a rapid fluctuation between two distinct pitches.

V

Verismo

The tendency in late 19th-Century operas (mostly Italian) to take subjects filled with a strong sense realism.

Vibrato

A tonal oscillation above and below a pitch; an undulation of the pitch of a note.

Vocal

Pertaining to the voice or speech.

Vocalise

A vocal exercise without the use of words, or a music piece to be sung using one or more vowels.

W Wig

Z

Zarzuela

An artificial covering of hair for the head. Various styles of wigs are used in conjunction with makeup to disguise a performer’s appearance in terms of age or the look of the character, as well as the time period in which the opera is set.

A type of Spanish opera, characterized by the alternation of singing and dancing with spoken dialogue.

17

OPERA RELATED RESOURCES ON THE INTERNET Listed below are a few of the web sites for opera-related resources.

Teaching Materials and Educational Ideas http://opera.stanford.edu/opera/main.html http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/educators.aspx http://www.wku.edu/~smithch/music/index2.htm http://www.lessontutor.com/musicgenhome.html Math and Music http://library.thinkquest.org/4116/Music/music.htm Roosevelt High School Opera project http://virtualschoolhouse.visionlink.org/rhs_o.htm Creating an Original Opera http://opera.medianotes.com/kinderoper/coop_text.htm



Gilbert and Sullivan Archive http://math.boisestate.edu/gas/



Gilbert and Sullivan basics and links http://www.musicals101.com/g&s101.htm



18

William Schwenck Gilbert (1836 - 1911)

William Schwenck Gilbert, born in London in 1836, was the son of a retired naval surgeon. Except for having been kidnapped at the age of two, he appears to have had a very normal upbringing. Beyond ordinary schooling, he took training as an artillery officer and was tutored in military science with hopes of participating in the Crimean War. He did not graduate until after the War was over, however, but subsequently joined the militia and was a member for 20 years. After finishing his military training Gilbert worked in a government bureau job which he disliked. Upon receiving a nice inheritance from an aunt, Gilbert indulged his fancy and became a barrister. Called to the bar at age 28, Gilbert’s law career lasted just a few years. Before leaving his law practice, however, he married the daughter of an army officer. Gilbert had shown a proclivity for caustic wit and sarcasm from an early age and it was this talent that put him on the path to greatness. Beginning in 1861, Gilbert contributed dramatic criticism and humorous verse (unsigned) to the popular British magazine FUN. Some of his work was accompanied by cartoons and sketches which were signed “Bab.” Many of the characters in the G&S operas were modelled after some of Gilbert’s “Bab” characters. A collection of these Bab Ballads was published in 1869. The period from 1868 to 1875 was a very fruitful period for Gilbert, primarily due to huge financial rewards from two plays which he wrote in 1871. This was also the year that he collaborated briefly with a composer named Arthur Sullivan on a production entitled Thespis which did not bring the duo any notoriety. Their collaboration, however, spanned twenty-five years and produced a total of fourteen comic operas, many of which remain audience favorites to this day. Gilbert was knighted by Edward VII in 1907 and died in 1911, at the age of 74, while attempting to save a drowning woman.

19

Arthur Seymour Sullivan (1842 - 1900)

Sir Arthur Seymour Sullivan was born in Lambeth, London, in 1842 to a very musical family. His father was a bandmaster at the Royal Military College and before age 10 Sullivan had mastered all of the wind instruments in his father’s band. Sullivan composed his own anthem when he was 8 years old. At age 14 he was the youngest participant in the first Mendelssohn Scholarship Competition­ — one of many scholarships he won at prominent academies and conservatories­­.The last of these was located in Germany, where Franz List listened to Sullivan’s final “thesis.” Sullivan returned to England at age 20 where his professional career took off after writing incidental music for Shakespeare’s The Tempest. The work was wildly popular and was often performed as a concert piece, in addition to being used for its original intent. For the next ten years Sullivan was a professor of music, a teacher, and an organist. Regarded as the leading composer of the day, Sullivan had many influential friends in every circle of society including many monarchs in Europe. In addition to composing “Onward Christian Soldiers,” Sullivan also composed several major choral works, including The Light of the World, The Martyr of Antioch, The Golden Legend, and his lone grand opera, Ivanhoe. Sullivan’s first venture into comic opera was in 1867, with writer F.C. Brunand. Together they produced Cox and Box and The Contrabandista. In the period from 1871 to 1896, Sullivan collaborated with W.S. Gilbert on fourteen comic operas. The Grand Duke, last in the line, premiered March 7, 1896. From 1872 until his death in 1900, Sullivan suffered from extremely painful kidney stones and it is said that his most beautiful music was composed while he endured great pain. He was knighted by Queen Victoria in 1883.

20

Activities

21

QUESTIONS FOR STUDENTS Questions to ask before the performance... 1.

What will the characters look like? Have students draw or describe them.

2.

What do you expect the mood of the story to be? Happy? Sad? Funny? Scary?

3.

What is music? Can music express emotions?

4.

What is opera?

5.

Who are Gilbert and Sullivan? Have you ever heard of them?

Questions to ask after the performance... 1.

What did you like best about the show?

2.

What did you like least about the show?

3.

Which character was your favorite? Why?

4.

What was the mood of the show? Happy? Sad? Funny? Scary?

3.

Do you have to listen more carefully when a singer does not use a microphone?

22

READER’S THEATRE This activity can be used to help students practice speaking in front of an audience. It is a short dramatization of what might have happened right before the HOT Opera Express Performance begins. There are seven roles which can be read by the entire class in turn, or broken up and performed by small groups.

THE MIKADO: A Prologue CHARACTERS: Narrator 1 Narrator 2 Nanki-Poo Yum-Yum Ko-Ko Townsperson 1 Townsperson 2 SETTING: Japan 18th Century

Narrator 1: Once upon a time in Japan, there was a young prince who was very unhappy. Narrator 2: The prince’s father wanted him to marry a very mean and ugly woman named Katisha, so he ran away from home. Nanki-Poo: I know, I will dress up like a traveling musician and walk from town to town. I will go by the name of Nanki-Poo so no one will know that I am really the prince! Narrator 1: In one of the towns, the prince met a beautiful young woman. Nanki-Poo: Hello! My name is Nanki-Poo. Yum-Yum: And my name is Yum-Yum. Nanki-Poo: I am a traveling musician. Would you like to hear a song? Yum-Yum: I would like that very much! Narrator 2: So the Prince played Yum-Yum the prettiest song he could think of. Yum-Yum: That was wonderful! Do you know any other songs? Narrator 1: But before the Prince could begin the second song, another young man appeared.

23

Ko-Ko: Yum-Yum, where did you go? Yum-Yum: I’m over here Ko-Ko. Ko-Ko: There you are! I’ve been looking everywhere for you. Yum-Yum: I was listening to this young man’s beautiful music. Ko-Ko: It’s time for us to go. We have to go pick out a wedding cake. Nanki-Poo: Wedding? Narrator 2: So Yum-Yum left with Ko-Ko. She was sad that she could not talk longer with Nanki-Poo. Narrator 1: Nanki-Poo was also sad, because he had fallen in love with Yum-Yum, but she was going to marry Ko-Ko. Nanki-Poo: I guess I will have to leave this town without Yum-Yum. Narrator 2: So Nanki-Poo went to the next village and played for the people there. But every song he played was sad. Townsperson 1: Nanki-Poo, play us something happy! Townsperson 2: We want to dance! Nanki-Poo: I’m too sad to play happy music. I’ve lost the love of my life! Townsperson 1: How awful! Townsperson 2: What happened? Nanki-Poo: My beautiful Yum-Yum is going to marry a terrible little man named Ko-Ko. Townsperson 1: Do you mean that terrible little man Ko-Ko from the town next door? Nanki-Poo: Do you know him? Townsperson 2: Yes! He’s just been put in jail for flirting. Nanki-Poo: So that means Yum-Yum might be able to marry me after all!

24

Order Of Events

Number the events in the order they occur in the story.

Easier Version ___ Yum-Yum returns from school. ___ Nanki-Poo learns that Ko-Ko has been let out of jail. ___ The Mikado and Katisha arrive in Titipu looking for Nanki-Poo. ___ Yum-Yum finds out she might be dipped in goo. ___ Katisha marries Ko-Ko. ___ Ko-Ko tells Nanki-Poo and Yum-Yum that they can get married.

Harder Version ___ Yum-Yum sings and compares herself to the Moon. ___ Ko-Ko learns that Nanki-Poo is really the Mikado’s son. ___ The Mikado tells Ko-Ko that he will be executed. ___ The music begins. ___ Nanki-Poo learns that Ko-Ko has been let out of jail. ___ Ko-Ko gets the not so brilliant idea to pretend to execute Nanki-Poo. ___ The Mikado and Katisha arrive in Titipu looking for Nanki-Poo. ___ Yum-Yum returns from school. ___ Katisha and Ko-Ko get married. ___ Ko-Ko receives a letter from the Mikado demanding that someone be executed. ___ Nanki-Poo returns looking for Yum-Yum’s hairbrush. ___ Yum-Yum learns she might be dipped in goo.

25

The Mikado Who Did It? Fill in the blank with the appropriate name of the character in the opera. (See page 35 for answers)

1. ____________________

was put in jail for flirting.

2. ____________________

claims to be a musician.

3. ____________________

is the Emperor of Japan.

4. ____________________

runs away from home.

5. ____________________

is a little maid from school.

6. ____________________

arrives with the Emperor.

7. ____________________

is willing to cut someone’s head off, but not his own.

8. ____________________

might be dipped in green, slimy, stinking, gelatinous goo!

9. ____________________

threatens to demote the city of Titipu to a village.

26 26

Color this Japanese Spear Dancer

27

Yum-Yum’s Crossword Puzzle





Across

Down

1 A woman when she gets married. 2 Clothes that actors wear on stage. 4 When a boy winks and blinks and makes googly eyes at a girl. 5 The country where Yum-Yum lives. 6 The name of the pretty schoolgirl. 8 He is the Emperor. 11 Something you sing.

3 He was put in jail for flirting. 7 Telling someone something that is not true. 9 The town where Yum-Yum lives. 10 The ugly woman who lives in the palace. 12 What Nanki-Poo pretends to be. 13 A story that is sung.

28

Katisha’s Word Search

29

Help Ko-Ko Get Out of Jail

Finish

Start here

30

Help Nanki-Poo Find Yum-Yum

Finish

Start here

31

Make an Origami Piano

32

Fold the sides inward to meet at the middle.

Open the sides again, making right angles with them, and fold down the "keyboard" into position.

There's your piano!

Back

33

Origami Jumping Frog The frog is a symbol of good luck in Japan. Use a 3 X 5 card to make this jumping frog.

1 3

2

5 6

4 34

x

8 9 7

When done draw two eyes, nostrils, feet and toes. Push on the x and slide your finger off the back of the frog to make it jump.

Furuike ya  Kawazu tobikomu  Mizu no oto 

An old pond ...  A frog jumps in  The sound of water

Haiku by Matsuo Basho (1644-1694)

35

Ko-Ko’s Krunchi Snack Ingredients: 1/2 cup arare 1/2 cup iso peanuts 1/2 cup raisins 1/2 cup chopped crystallized ginger Directions: Mix everything together in a bowl and share with your friends. For variety, try using another dried fruit in place of raisins. Cranberries would be good! How many cups did you end up with? If you give each friend 1/3 of a cup, how many friends could you share with? Caution: Don’t eat Ko-Ko’s Krunchy Snack in class because the teacher is sure to hear you chewing!

If you should be caught eating Ko-Ko’s crunchy snack in class and have to go to the principle’s office, Hawaii Opera Theatre and its employees will in no way be held responsible, and will provide no excuses in defense of your actions.

36

Solutions

37

Order Of Events Solution Easier Version 2__ Yum-Yum returns from school. 1__ Nanki-Poo learns that Ko-Ko has been let out of jail. 5__ The Mikado and Katisha arrive in Titipu looking for Nanki-Poo. 4__ Yum-Yum finds out she might be dipped in goo. 6__ Katisha marries Ko-Ko. 3__ Ko-Ko tells Nanki-Poo and Yum-Yum that they can get married.

Harder Version 5__ _Yum-Yum brushes her hair while singing about the Moon. 9___ Ko-Ko learns that Nanki-Poo is really the Mikado’s son. 10__ The Mikado tells Ko-Ko that he will be executed. 1___ The music begins. 2___ Nanki-Poo learns that Ko-Ko has been let out of jail. 7___ Ko-Ko gets the not so brilliant idea to pretend to execute Nanki-Poo. 8___ The Mikado and Katisha arrive in Titipu looking for Nanki-Poo. 3___ Yum-Yum returns from school. 12__ Katisha and Ko-Ko get married. 4___ Ko-Ko receives a letter from the Mikado demanding that someone be executed. 11__ Nanki-Poo returns looking for Yum-Yum’s hairbrush. 6___ Yum-Yum learns she might be dipped in goo.

38

The Mikado, Who Did It? Solution Fill in the blank with the appropriate name of the character in the opera.

1. Ko-Ko__________________ was caught for flirting. 2. Nanki-Poo__________________

claims to be a musician.

3. The Mikado_________________

is the Emperor of Japan.

4. Nanki-Poo__________________

runs away from home.

5. Yum-Yum__________________

is a little maid from school.

6. Katisha_________________ arrives with the Emperor. 7. Ko-Ko__________________ is willing to cut someone’s head off, but not his own. 8. Yum-Yum__________________

might be dipped in green, slimy stinking, gelatinous goo!

9. The Mikado_________________

threatens to demote the city of Titipu to a village.

39

Yum-Yum’s Crossword Solution

40

Katisha’s Word Search Solution

41

Maze Solutions

42

TEACHER QUESTIONNAIRE Fall 2013 and Spring 2014

Hawaii Opera Theatre’s

The Mikado

School ____________________________________________________________ Grade __________ 1.

How did you hear about the show?

2.

When did you hear about the show?

3.

When is the best time during the school year for your school to participate in this program?

4.

On a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the highest, how does this activity compare with other performing arts groups that visit your school?

5.

How would you rate your students’ reactions to this show? Did they have any comments?

6.

Would you like to have HOT visit your school again?

7.

What did you like most about the presentation?

8.

What did you like least about the presentation?

9.

What can HOT do to improve the program’s effectiveness at your school?

10.

Were the study materials provided helpful? Anything specifically?

11.

Any other comments... Please return this questionnaire to Hawaii Opera Theatre 848 S Beretania St #301, Honolulu, HI 96813 - or FAX (808) 596-0379

43