Humanities and Opera Education Hub

The Humanities and Opera Education Hub is a resource designed for high school educators. It provides educational materials focused on literary works that have been adapted into operas and films.

With the Education Hub resources, teachers can guide students in examining how stories are transformed through opera and film. By reflecting on different creative choices, students will gain a deeper appreciation for storytelling and interpretation.

The Education Hub provides lesson plans, slides, and other ready-to-use materials. These resources aim to help teachers inspire curiosity about opera by connecting it to literature their students already know and enjoy.

The initiative was supported by the Whiting Foundation.

List of Works for Curricula

The Autobiography of Malcolm X

The Barber of Seville (Le Barbier de Séville, Ou la Précaution inutile) by Pierre Beaumarchais

Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster by Jon Krakauer

Knock Out!: The True Story of Emile Griffith

Macbeth by William Shakespeare

The Marriage of Figaro by Pierre Beaumarchais

A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare

One Hundred Years of Solitude & Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel García Márquez

Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

To find out more about how best teachers and students can utilize the resources available in the Education Hub, check out the link below.

About the Resources

Learning resources for additional works of literature and their adaptations in opera will be released soon. Download the Full List of Works for Curricula to learn more.

The Autobiography of Malcolm X

Dive deep into the life, struggles, and transformation of Malcolm X by studying The Autobiography of Malcolm X, alongside X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X, an opera by Anthony Davis. Through the powerful words of Malcolm X and the dynamic storytelling of opera, students will experience a multi-dimensional view of one of the most influential figures of the Civil Rights Movement. This combined study provides a rich, interdisciplinary approach, blending literature and music to explore themes of identity, resilience, and social justice. Perfect for those interested in history, race relations, and the transformative power of narrative.

Literature:

The Autobiography of Malcolm X by Alex Haley
The Dead are Arising by Les and Tamara Payne

Opera:

X: Life and Times of Malcolm X composed by Anthony Davis and libretto by Thulani Davis

Film:

Malcolm X: Make it Plain An American Experience — PBS documentary
Malcolm X (1992)
X/onerated – The Murder of Malcolm X and 55 Years to Justice

Resources

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The Barber of Seville (Le Barbier de Séville, Ou la Précaution inutile) (Pierre Beaumarchais)

Discover The Barber of Seville, Beaumarchais' timeless play that revolutionized theatrical comedy and Rossin’s vibrant opera. Its themes of love, class struggles, and clever manipulation have influenced modern comedic forms. By comparing the original play with the opera, you’ll see how stories evolve across different art forms. This exploration reveals the transformative power of music and performance in reimagining classic works, offering a fresh perspective on culture, drama, and history.

Literature:

The Barber of Seville (Le Barbier de Séville, Ou la Précaution inutile) by Pierre Beaumarchais

Opera:

Il barbiere di Siviglia composed by Gioachino Rossini and libretto by Cesare Sterbini

Film:

Il barbiere di Siviglia (1949, 1955, 1994)

Resources

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Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster (Jon Krakauer)

Travel to the top of the world with a harrowing first-hand account of disaster on the slopes of Mount Everest with Jon Krakauer's Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster. See how this account gets turned into a dramatic narrative by investigating the changes made in the opera Everest by Gene Scheer and Joby Talbot, as it's presented as a graphic novel, performed live, and in the 2015 film of the same name.

Literature:

Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster by Jon Krakauer

Opera:

Everest composed by Joby Talbot and libretto by Gene Scheer

Film:

Ring of Fire: Emile Griffith Story (2005)

Resources

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Knockout!: The True Story of Emile Griffith

Explore the intersection of art, history, and identity through Knock Out!: The True Story of Emile Griffith and the opera Champion. Both works spotlight the remarkable life of Emile Griffith, a six-time world boxing champion whose journey grapples with themes of ambition, resilience, and the complexities of his identity as a bisexual man in the 20th century. These adaptations bring Griffith’s story to life in distinct yet complementary ways, offering powerful explorations of social justice, representation, and the transformative power of storytelling across mediums.

Literature:

Knock Out!: The True Story of Emile Griffith

Opera:

Champion composed by Terence Blanchard and libretto by Michael Cristofer

Film:

Ring of Fire: The Emile Griffith Story (2005)

Resources

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Macbeth (William Shakespeare)

Witches, prophesy, and royal intrigue. These themes have made Macbeth a literary and dramatic classic. Dive into a deeper level of understanding of the work by examining what's changed and what's remained the same in the opera adaptation by Guiseppe Verdi and Maria Piave, and in film adaptations from 1971, 2010, 2015, and 2021.

Literature:

Macbeth by William Shakespeare

Opera:

Macbeth composed by Giuseppe Verdi and libretto by Francesco Maria Piave

Film:

Macbeth (1971, 2010, 2015, 2021)

Resources

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The Marriage of Figaro (La Folle Journée, ou Le Mariage de Figaro) (Pierre Beaumarchais)

Delve into the fascinating world of The Marriage of Figaro by analyzing both the original play by Beaumarchais and its iconic opera adaptation by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Lorenzo Da Ponte. This compelling exploration examines the transformation of sharp political and social satire into a timeless musical masterpiece. Explore the intricate characters, layered themes, and complex emotional dynamics as they shift from the stage to the operatic setting. This study offers insights into Mozart's and Da Ponte’s genius and the enduring relevance of Figaro’s story.

Literature:

The Marriage of Figaro, or the Follies of a Day (Le Mariage de Figaro, ou La Folle Journée) (Pierre Beaumarchais)

Opera:

Le nozze di Figaro composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte

Film:

Le nozze di Figaro (Opera Film)

Resources

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A Midsummer Night's Dream (William Shakespeare)

By merging the classic play by Shakespeare with the rich, emotive storytelling of the opera adaptation by Benjamin Britten, this educational resource brings new life to A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Students will not only grasp the beauty of Shakespeare's language, but will explore the interplay between words and music, understanding how the opera enhances the characters, the emotions, and the magical world of the play, and how composers and artists like Britten, adapt literary works, adding new layers of meaning to its themes.

Literature:

A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare

Opera:

A Midsummer Night's Dream composed by Benjamin Britten and libretto by Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears

Film:

A Midsummer Night's Dream (1996, 1999, 2018)

Resources

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One Hundred Years of Solitude & Love in the Time of Cholera (Gabriel García Márquez)

Ignite curiosity by studying the lyrical beauty of Florencia en el Amazonas and the literary genius of Gabriel García Márquez’s One Hundred Years of Solitude and Love in the Time of Cholera. Explore the vibrant world of magical realism, where music, love, and memory intertwine to create rich, multi-dimensional narratives and storytelling.

Literature:

Love in the Time of Cholera
One Hundred Years of Solitude

Opera:

Florencia en el Amazonas

Film:

Love in the Time of Cholera
One Hundred Years of Solitude

Resources

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Romeo and Juliet (William Shakespeare)

Experience Romeo and Juliet in a whole new way—Shakespeare’s iconic tale of love, conflict, and fate, reimagined through the power of opera. From the play’s rich language to Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette, discover how timeless themes take on new emotional depth through orchestration and vocal expression. This combination offers a unique, multidimensional journey through storytelling, character development, and the human experience.

Literature:

Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

Opera:

Roméo & Juliette composed by Charles Gounod and libretto by Jules Barbier and Michel Carré

Film:

Romeo & Juliet (1968, 1996, 2013)

Resources

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Working Group

OPERA America thanks the following individuals for their work developing these resources.

Andrea Fineberg, librettist and former director of community engagement, Santa Fe Opera
Daniel Harvey, artistic producer & community director; assistant to the general & artistic director, Opera Parallèle
Stuart Holt, president & CEO, ArtsFairfax
Rebecca Kirk, community arts educator & arts integration specialist
Sara Litchfield, associate director of youth programs, Seattle Opera
Neal Long, director of learning, Lyric Opera of Kansas City
Lauren Medici, director of engagement programs, Opera Omaha
Samantha Nahra, director of marketing, Opera on Tap/Playground Opera

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