Operina is a new opera podcast for kids, created and hosted by soprano Jessica Cambio. Each episode features children from around the world participating (in their own language) in a musical, historical, cultural, and linguistic educational adventure... with their parents' permission, of course.

Opera, classical music, and linguistic studies are often neglected and/or not introduced to children at all, especially at the elementary school level. It has been scientifically proven that exposure to classical music, art, dance, culture, foreign languages, and even global travel at an early age encourages healthy brain stimulation and growth, a more peaceful upbringing, a stronger sense of community, and therefore, a better world.

The Operina mission is to provide a fun, free, kid-friendly all-encompassing learning experience to enhance their musical and cultural education, expand their horizons, encourage them to think outside the box of their daily lives... all the while limiting their screen time. ;)

Operina encourages kids to learn, grow, explore, and experience opera and classical music firsthand. The episodes, narrated by various musical guests worldwide, can be enjoyed in the comfort of your own home.

Operina also encourages your children to make new friends, share information and opinions, learn new words in foreign languages, use their imagination and creativity, create a community, listen to the sounds of the human voice and orchestral instruments, design costumes and sets, dance, sing, and explore the stage, acting, and all the spectacle of opera from the inside.

Operina features guests from all corners of the globe, stories extracted from operas that have survived hundreds of years, quizzes, foreign words integrated in the language of the opera being presented, and so much more. Join us on this new adventure!

In this episode CARMEN PART ONE, I read the first half of the Metropolitan Opera Guild's 1938 edition of Georges Bizet's French opera Carmen, one of the world's most beloved and well-known operas. This version adapted by Robert Lawrence is taken from a volume of children's books for opera lovers. The pages are colorfully illustrated by Alexandre Serebriakoff, and the images can be seen on the Operina Instagram page @operinapodcast.

If your child would like to be featured as a guest on future episodes, please send your submissions (in any language) to: operinapodcast@gmail.com.

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