About this project
The Kickstarter campaign for The Giver surpassed its goal! Thank you to our backers for their support. Pledges will be accepted for this project via Kickstarter through 11am on Tuesday, April 3. If you would like to support The Giver offline, please contact Jenna Wolf, Individual Gifts Officer at 612-342-9569 or jwolf@mnopera.org.
Minnesota Opera’s youth ensemble program, Project Opera, will give the Minnesota premiere of a new children's opera based on Lois Lowry’s novel “The Giver” April 27-29, 2012 at the Minnesota Opera Center in Minneapolis, MN. This new work will provide hands-on experience to kids in the creation of an opera, helping them to understand this art form through a living composer, Susan Kander. Additionally, it will give them the opportunity to perform the opera in a fully-staged professional production. It is rare for young singers to have a chance to perform an opera written by a living American composer, with a story from a living American author. Also, for many audience members, this will be their first opera experience.
It takes a vast amount of resources to perform opera. Sets, costumes, instrumental accompaniment, individual voice lessons and coaching are just some of the elements required, but are necessary to make the magic happen on stage. We need financial support to help make this production of The Giver a success.
Although the novel was written twenty years ago, the story is still relevant today. This new opera will allow kids to share the work with audiences through music, which truly enhances its meaning. “The Giver” has many themes that are essential to share and discuss with kids of all ages, such as the importance of diversity, individuality and hope in society. In “The Giver” the lead character, Jonas, is selected at the age of twelve (the age at which each young person in the story is assigned to his or her life’s work) to become the “Receiver of Memory”. As the Receiver of Memory, Jonas stores memories (both good and bad- including memories of music) so others within his community do not have to suffer any pain caused by the memories.
Life is good and pleasant for the society in “The Giver”, except for Jonas and the Giver of Memory, who is passing on all of the memories to Jonas. As he receives these memories from the “Giver,” Jonas becomes increasingly disenchanted with and alarmed by the society and its practices (including elimination of those who will not conform), and undertakes a dangerous effort to enlighten the rest of the community.
Please support the performances of this exciting new opera for kids today. Thank you!
Also, a special thank you to Yes Nonsense, Nice Pictures and Electric Picture Company (Dan Nyberg and his daughters Emily and Melissa- both in Project Opera, and Jim Tittle) for donating their time and talents to create our video.
Tickets are on sale for THE GIVER performances! Visit http://www.mnopera.org/thegiver for performance dates and ordering information.
Project Opera kids featured in The Giver Kickstarter video:
Emi Chen - Project Opera Member, "Jonas" in The Giver
Dean Huang - Project Opera Member, "Instructor" in The Giver
Ryan Kantor - Project Opera Member, "Father" in The Giver
Emily Nyberg - Project Opera Member, "Instructor" in The Giver
Grown-ups (Minnesota Opera staff) featured in The Giver Kickstarter video:
Jamie Andrews - Community Education Director
Dale Kruse - Project Opera Music Director
Kathy Kraulik - Project Opera Accompanist and Program Manager
Octavio Cardenas - Stage Director, The Giver
Angie Keeton - Teaching Artist
Questions about the campaign? Contact Jenna Wolf, Individual Gifts Officer at jwolf@mnopera.org
The Giver is co-commissioned by Minnesota Opera and Lyric Opera of Kansas City.
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Funding Successful
This project successfully raised its funding goal on April 3.
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Eternal gratitude and appreciation from Minnesota Opera
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Above + "shout out" on Minnesota Opera's blog Haute Dish
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Above + name listed on Kickstarter donor list on the Minnesota Opera website
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Above + Name listed in THE GIVER show program
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Above + THE GIVER show poster signed by Lois Lowry (author of "The Giver") and Susan Kander (composer of THE GIVER). NOTE: Please add $5 for US/Domestic shipping or $15 for International shipping if you choose to receive the poster. Posters may also be picked up at no charge from Minnesota Opera Center, 620 First St N, Minneapolis, MN 55401, Monday through Friday, 9am-6pm or during the performance run of THE GIVER, April 27-29, 2012 at the Minnesota Opera Center. *Non-tax deductible amount for poster- $10
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Donor recognition items above + a hardcover copy of the novel "The Giver" signed by author Lois Lowry. NOTE: Please add $5 for US/Domestic shipping or $15 for international shipping to your pledge amount if you choose to receive the book. Books may also be picked up at no charge from the Minnesota Opera Center, 620 First St N, Minneapolis, MN 55401, Monday through Friday, 9am-6pm or during the performance run of THE GIVER, April 27-29, 2012 at the Minnesota Opera Center. *Non-tax deductible amount for book- $17
Pledge $500 or more Pledge $500 or more
Donor recognition items above, signed book + special invitation to a coffee/dessert reception with Lois Lowry (author of "The Giver") and Susan Kander (composer of THE GIVER) at the Minnesota Opera Center on Saturday, April 28 at 3:30pm, immediately following the 2:00pm performance of THE GIVER. NOTE: Please add $5 for US/Domestic shipping or $15 for International shipping to your pledge amount if you choose to receive the book. Books may also be picked up at no charge from the Minnesota Opera Center, 620 First St N, Minneapolis, MN 55401, Monday through Friday, 9am-6pm or during the performance run of THE GIVER, April 27-29, 2012 at the Minnesota Opera Center. *Non-tax deductible amount for book- $17
Pledge $1,000 or more Pledge $1,000 or more
Donor recognition items above, signed book, invite to reception listed above + reserved seating at performances of THE GIVER at the Minnesota Opera Center (contact Jenna Wolf at jwolf@mnopera.org for details). NOTE: Please add $5 for US/Domestic shipping or $15 for International shipping to your pledge amount if you choose to receive the book. Books may also be picked up at no charge from the Minnesota Opera Center, 620 First St N, Minneapolis, MN 55401, Monday through Friday, 9am-6pm or during the performance run of THE GIVER, April 27-29, 2012 at the Minnesota Opera Center. *Non-tax deductible amount for book- $17
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Donor recognition items above, signed book, invite to reception listed above + lunch with Lois Lowry (author of "The Giver") and Susan Kander (composer of THE GIVER) on Thursday, April 26 at 12:00pm. The lunch will be located in Minneapolis, MN with an official site TBD. NOTE: Please add $5 for US/Domestic shipping or $15 for International shipping to your pledge amount if you choose to receive the book. Books may also be picked up at no charge from the Minnesota Opera Center, 620 First St N, Minneapolis, MN 55401, Monday through Friday, 9am-6pm or during the performance run of THE GIVER, April 27-29, 2012 at the Minnesota Opera Center. *Non-tax deductible amount for book- $17
Pledge $5,000 or more Pledge $5,000 or more
Donor recognition items above, signed book, invite to reception listed above + lead sponsorship listing on THE GIVER show program title page. NOTE: Please add $5 for US/Domestic shipping or $15 for International shipping to your pledge amount if you choose to receive the book. Books may also be picked up at no charge from the Minnesota Opera Center, 620 First St N, Minneapolis, MN 55401, Monday through Friday, 9am-6pm or during the performance run of THE GIVER, April 27-29, 2012 at the Minnesota Opera Center. *Non-tax deductible amount for book- $17
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The Minnesota Opera Education Department creates extraordinary opera experiences to educate, challenge and inspire audiences of all ages.
