Fraser-Woods ‘Burning Rice Fields’Opera Huge Success

By Tanjua Damon

The Fraser-Woods School entertained the community with its first opera production, The Burning Rice Fields, an one-act opera based on a Japanese folktale February 28 at Edmond Town Hall.

The entire school took part in the opera designed by Sanford and Judy Jones of Youth Opera USA. The students helped with preshow tasks of set construction and costume making as well as on their parts and singing. The costumes and scenery were fabulous and added to the story that was being told during the opera.

“It is difficult to describe the wonderful feeling that studying opera has brought to our school during this year. As I walked through the halls during the past month, I felt the music and could see the excitement and pride in all of our students,” head of school Myriam Woods said. “The words ‘rise and shine, fisherman all … rise and shine, heed the sea’s call’ are forever engraved in my mind. All of us adults and children will remember this incredible experience … the production of The Burning Rice Field.”

The children’s folktale is about a Japanese fishing village by the sea. An old woman who lives in the village has nothing but her rice straw hut, which is taken by the evil Feudal Lord when she has nothing to give him. The old woman, Baba, goes up to the mountain to die. As the moon rises, Baba realizes that the village is going to be hit by a sudden tidal wave. In order to warn the villagers she sets fire to the rice fields drawing them out to put out the fire. The villagers show their appreciation by building a temple on the bluff for Baba so she can watch over the village.

The theater at Edmond Town Hall was almost filled to capacity for the Friday evening performance. The students, 18 months to eighth grade, as well as The Fraser-Woods School community, began working on the hour-long opera in January.

“I like it. It’s a lot of fun,” student Eliza Nance said. “We get to work with professionals with a lot of experience.”

Some of the students admitted that although the opera was an excellent learning experience, but challenging too.

“It’s hard,” Kelsey Hopper said. “But I like opera. The music is really nice.”

“I learned that you don’t have to be on the stage all the time,” Cate Staack added. “There are little things you can do too.”

The students also enjoyed begin able to work with their whole school on the production of the opera.

“It really gets everyone involved in something,” Jenn Agius said. “It’s a lot of hard work, but I like to perform so it is a lot of fun.”

“This is pretty good. I like getting to act and sing,” Eliana Kohrman-Glaser added. “I want the audience to enjoy the show.”

Jacob Dressler worked on the crew and was in charge of taking care of T-shirts. He admitted he was not up for acting but enjoyed participating in the production backstage.

“It’s good,” he said.

Newtown resident Mary Jo Duffy played Baba. Brooke Ashley Waltzer played the Sun. Nicole Levesque portrayed the Moon. Campbell O’Connor played the Feudal Lord. Rebecca Reed and Andrew Elstein were the narrators. Chris Clapis portrayed Rickshaw Puller.

The Village Children included Brian Keller, Gregory Kabasakalian, Joe Starks, Lauren Benedetto, Casey Fuller, Michael Tryforos, Steven DaSilva, Tarren Horvath, Hayley Keller, Calvin Bailey, Conrad Morris, Nathyn Horvath, Phillip Healy, Annie McDonald, Weston Tardie, William Linster, Akshay Delity, and Christopher Calo.

The Seagulls were Kaitlin Hickey, Morgan Hopper, Siena D’Addario, Mia Terracino, A’ine Elizabeth Duffy, Brooke Richards, Julia Elstein, Caitlin Villano, and Tanner Tardie.

Morning Mists included Siena D’Addario, Savannah Rhodes-Podryski, Nicole Small, Niki Haghpanah, Morgan Hopper, Dana A. Whaley, Isabel Nance, and Olivia DeVivo.

Firedancers were Savannah Rhodes-Podryski, Nicole Small, and Niki Haghpanah.

Warriors included Daniel Sbriglio, Matthew Tryforos, Michael Delspina, Parker Delmolino, Chris Roberto, Michael Zaccaro, Danny Sclafani, and Justin Waltzer.

The Fishermen were Eric Miller, Thomas Saboe, Joseph DeMayo II, Ken Gottschalck, Thomas Healy, Will O’Connor, Cole Baldino, Jeff McKee, Dayton Horvath, and Joshua Richard Coughlin Stowell.

Featured artists included Glenn Unger, Catherine Ingersoll, Adam Fisher, Jesse Cabral, Chris Healy, Michael Cabral, Braden O’Connell, and Angela Pepe.

Reapers were Dana A. Whaley, Isabel Nance, Olivia DeVivo, Nicole Levesque, Alexandra Saboe, Clare Gillies, Nadine DeLoughy, and Brooke Ashley Waltzer.

The Tidal Wave was Alexandra Saboe, Clare Gillies, Rebecca Reed, and Kelsey Hopper.

Cherry Trees included Haley Delmolino, Penelope Rhodes-Podryski, Anna C. Guaragno, Christina Cistulli, and Sophia DeVivo.

Geishas included Kira Reed, Chloe Janesky, Carlyann Piazza-Harper, Aoife Flanagan, Lydia Post, Katherine E. Guaragno, Jane Sclafani, and Emma Hubregsen.

Kites were Kelsey Hopper, Jenn Aguis, Eliza Nance, Eliana Kohrman-Glaser, Cate Staack, and Hayley Keller.

Crew members included Christian Carroll, Steven Berg, Kai Hedin, Lee Greenwald, Emma Iannini, Dylan Jones, Alex Santilli, Drew Carlton, Andrew Avram, Patrick Hayden, Forrest Thomas, Emmett Mitchell, Leland Harper, Tess Baldino, Christopher Gee, Sherman Mitchell, Dianne Fisher, Iris Baldino, and Jacob Dressler.

Music director was Todd Gorski and production manager was Aileen Hopper.