K-12 EDUCATION PROGRAMS

Thousands of students and educators attend Austin Opera mainstage dress rehearsals through Access Opera.  Prior to each event, online resources are made available, as well as live docent presentations, to prepare students for the experience of attending the opera.  Docent  programs and select study materials are also available in Spanish, on request.

Important Registration Information for ACCESS OPERA:

• LOG IN: Educators will need to create a log in to reserve tickets for an Access Opera event. This information will go directly into our database to streamline the reservation and ticketing process.  Once you have a log in, you will be able to use your account to make reservations for any of our ticketed programs (Access Opera, Masterclasses, etc.).
• RESERVATIONS: Reservations are taken on a first come, first serve basis. Please fill out ALL fields on the reservation form carefully. You should receive confirmation of your reservation within 3 business days. If you don’t, please contact Debra Erck, Director of Education at derck@austinopera.org.
• ATTENDANCE RESTRICTIONS: We cannot accept reservations with fewer than 4 students for our Access Opera events. If you have a group with fewer than 4 students, please call our Box Office at 512-472-5992 to inquire about special prices for student tickets to one of our performances.
• WAIT LIST: If tickets are “sold out,” you can email Debra Erck (derck@austinopera.org) to be placed on a waiting list.  Schools placed on the wait list will be contacted by email if tickets become available up to 48 hours prior to the dress rehearsal.
• ATTENDING THE OPERA: When you attend the opera, tickets will be scanned as you enter the Long Center. This will provide us with accurate information regarding who is attending our dress rehearsals.  Groups that do not show up or do not use all of their tickets may lose the privilege of participating in this program in the future.  You are encouraged to email us at least 4 days prior to the performance if you have extra tickets that will not be used so we can pass them along to others on our waiting list.
• BUS INFO: Schools traveling by bus need to indicate the number of busses they will be bringing on the reservation form. Once students are dropped off, busses will be asked to stage at an alternate location, designated by the Long Center.
• SEATING: Only groups traveling by bus will have reserved seating. All other attendees will have open seating options on a designated level (orchestra, mezzanine, balcony).
• DOCENT VISITS: We are excited to provide docents to speak to groups during the school day to prepare them for attending our Access Opera program. Docents present a multimedia presentation to review the cultural and historical context of the opera and to point out things to watch for and listen for at the dress rehearsal. Docent programs and select materials are also available in Spanish, on request.

Opera Treasure Chest is a free program that includes TEKS-aligned interactive lesson plans culminating in a live opera performance for students in grades K-4. Each lesson comes with all of the materials teachers need to help students experience opera while reinforcing writing skills, critical thinking and creativity. Teachers at participating schools “check out” treasure chests full of opera-related materials— CDs, DVDs, books and games. TEKs areas addressed by the Opera Treasure Chest include music, theatre, art, English language arts and health education. Contact Debra Erck, Director of Education at derck@austinopera.org to schedule this program for your school.