Opera at a Football Facility. . . Why Not?

When I was 4 years old, my parents took me to my first orchestra concert.  The Chicago Symphony was performing at Orchestra Hall downtown, and we sat near the front.  My parents are not proficient at any musical instruments, but they wanted to expose me to the world of music and orchestra.  I was completely mesmerized by the violins, the sweet vibrato, the flying fingers, the experience of being engulfed in the incredible ranges of emotion and sound.  

I told my parents that night I had to learn the violin, and they didn't believe I was serious.  So what did I do?  I created a violin from a Kleenex box, ruler, rubber bands, and a chopstick bow.  I was determined to play the violin!  Eventually my parents realized I wasn't going to give up, and they found a great violin teacher for me.  With her guidance, I performed my first concert at age 5 with the Rockford Symphony Orchestra at the Metro Center, and at that young age, I realized that the violin was my voice.  It was how people could know the real Tammy.  I went on to study music at Northwestern University in Evanston, IL, and I can honestly say that my involvement in music has completely changed my life.  It set me on a course to where I am today, still performing both piano and violin, and now advocating for the arts in my new hometown of Frisco, TX.

All that started from a spark at one concert, on one night, at age 4.

Exposing children to the vast, powerful, and engaging world of the arts is a passion of mine, and it's something that I believe every child should experience.  We never know the full impact of a child's first taste of music, dance, theater, and visual art, but I can attest, it plants a seed that can take deep roots with time.  There is great potential to birth inspiration as you open young minds to something they've never heard or seen before.

So why not give the opera a try on March 18th at the Star in Frisco?  Who knows- it could be the start of something new and exciting, for you and your kids!  And what do you have to lose- this event is completely FREE!  All the typical barriers that might have kept you from attending are gone: paying for tickets, driving to downtown Dallas, getting a sitter, or having to wrangle the kids to be quiet for a few hours.  

There's even a Family Fun Zone of free butterfly-themed activities from 5-7pm before the show starts at 7:30pm.  Even if you don't know the first thing about opera, just come.  Give it a chance.  If you don't like it, no one will judge you for leaving, but if you are intrigued, stay.  Opera is essentially beautiful, musical storytelling, and what better way to try the opera than relaxing under the stars with your loved ones?  So pack up your picnic blankets and chairs, bring your friends and family . . . and feed your soul in ways you never knew possible.