Empowering Fun-Filled One- Act Gem Takes Center Stage at Marin Center Sunday April 30th!

Golden Gate Opera will present the West Coast premiere (after 35 years) of Gian Carlo Menotti’s 1982 action fun-filled one-act, “The Boy Who Grew Too Fast” on Sunday April 30.

TWO SHOWS ONLY are at 2pm and 4pm at Marin Showcase Theatre, Marin Center, 10 Avenue of the Flags, San Rafael, CA 94903.

TICKETS are: Kids $15. Students $20, Adults $30, Gold $50. To reserve tickets ONLINE: https://tickets.marincenter.org/eventperformances.asp?evt=39&utm_source=Boy+Who+Grew+Support+copy+good&utm_campaign=Boy+Who+Grew+%231&utm_medium=email

Reserve by phone: Call Marin Center Box Office at 415-473-6800. For more information: visit http://www.goldengateopera.org... info@goldengateopera.org

Pictured left to right on designer Richard Adamson’s setting of “The Boy Who Grew Too Fast”

(Scene 1: In The Classroom):

Soprano Jacqueline Goldgorin (San Francisco) as The Teacher “Miss Hope”, 11 year-old Leith Grifoni (Cascade Canyon School, Fairfax) as “Little (Shrunken) Poponel”, tenor Michael Orlinsky (Pleasant Hill) as “Big Poponel” (The Boy Who Grew Too Fast), mezzo-soprano Anna Yelizarova (San Bruno) as The Mother –“Mrs. Skosvodmonit”, baritone Gregorio Gonzalez (Los Angeles) as “Mad Dog”, Ajinkya Karnataki (Sedgwick Elementary, in Cupertino) age 9 as Ricky, Mason Dali (age 8) boy break-dancer (from Edna McGuire School, Mill Valley), Ashley Wang (Mt. Tam School, Tiburon resident age 8), Delaney Whaley (San Domenico School-San Anselmo Age 8), Anna Scott (San Domenico School-Greenbrae resident age 8). Not pictured: soprano Courtnee Rhone as Lizzie Spender. Alexandra Jerinic as The Nurse, Miss Proctor, and Carmello Tringali as The Doctor, Dr. Shrinck. Also in the show is Colorful Universe Children’s Performing Troupe of Cupertino as the classroom of students on the first day of school.

Golden Gate Opera orchestra is Musica Marin's chamber ensemble of professional musicians from SF Opera Orchestra, SF Symphony Orchestra and SF Ballet Orchestra; Conductor/music director of GGO’s “The Boy Who Grew Too Fast” is Brian Asher Alhadeff (artistic director and music director of Opera San Luis Obispo). Stage director is Edna Garabedian (artistic director of California Opera Association in Fresno). Scenic Designer is Richard Adamson (Fresno). Costume designer is Morganne Newson of Toronto and Sausalito. Roberta Wain-Becker of San Rafael is GGO founder and artistic director.

How did it come to be?

Menotti wanted to write an opera that would completely capture the attention of children. This is a subject all children can identify. Also the form is fitted to the attention span of a child. No long arias, no long duets or opera choruses. This is through-composed continual action. The total running time is 45 minutes, with 3 scenes: Scene 1) In the classroom, Scene 2) in the Doctor’s office and Scene 3) In the classroom.

The boy who was teased because he looked different and also had a funny name becomes a hero because of his brave and good character. He saves the whole school, and all the children decide he is great to have as a friend. The teacher says at the end, “what have we learned from this?”

“Be, be glad to be yourself, don’t try to be another, for what you are nobody else can be.”

The children sing back: “I thank my lucky stars that I should be me.” Heartwarming, beautiful music, Menotti’s wry humorous wit, action and fun, and everyone decides we are glad to accept ourselves and each other exactly as we are. All in 45 minutes.

Family fun, and resolution for the adults too.