Arts camp students present ‘Magic Flute’ opera
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CHARLO – More than 70 school-aged children spent four days last week creating monsters, castles, trees, and a 25-foot-long dragon during the 11th annual Charlo Dixon Fine Arts Camp. Held at the Charlo School, this year’s camp put a twist on the popular event by performing an opera for the first time in the camp’s history. Students performed The Magic Flute, composed in 1791 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Their performance was a condensed version of the opera, lasting around 25 minutes. Charlo native and recent graduate of the University of Montana Brenna Hyvonen directed and selected music pieces for the show. Hyvonen invited Thomas Baty and Rachel Bucholtz, who sing opera regularly in Missoula to sing in the show.
Event organizer Judy Shafter explained the motive behind the first-ever opera was to get children to try something completely different than what they’re used to.
“We try to introduce them to new things,” she said. “(And to) show them an opera is a play, which is still fun.”
Each day children worked with volunteers who helped them design set props and masks for the finale. Olivia Olsen worked with fourth- and fifth-grade children to cut out, paint, and design monsters. Some students created goofy, brightly colored creatures, while others constructed scary ones.
Once the monsters were complete, children took rubber gloves and strips of paper to create oversized fingernails to accompany their monster outfits.
“We are creating beasts of the forest,” Olsen said with a smile. “We have a lot of children come back every year… it’s a lot of fun.”
According to Olsen, some of the children have become so interested in art that they now attend her home-school art class at Red Poppy in Ronan.
“There’s nothing more important in the world than art,” Olsen said.
According to Ninepipe Arts Group president Caroline Myhre, the camp opens the door to art and music for children who may not have had an opportunity to express themselves in such a way before.
“Some children don’t know anything like this when they come in,” Myhre said. “We want them to get excited about art.”
Each day before departing from camp, children met special guests, who taught them about different instruments and music. One afternoon, two guests from the Missoula Symphony showed first through fifth graders how to hold and play violins and violas.
“There’s something different (about the art camp) that makes it so popular,” Shafter said. “By incorporating art, music and entertainment we add a lot of dimension.”
According to Myhre, the camp wouldn’t be possible without the large group of parents and community members who give up their time to help make the event a reality.
“We definitely couldn’t do it without them,” she said. “I just do it because I love the kids.”
