Madame White Snake

Madame White Snake creator and librettist Cerise Jacobs speaks to educators at Primary Source.

In conjunction with the world premiere of Madame White Snake, Primary Source teamed up with Opera Boston and created a unique workshop to give teachers a way to bring this extraordinary story alive for students.

An opera developed from a classic Chinese legend, Madame White Snake tells the tale of a demon white snake that longs to become human and experience love. As soon as she does, she is overtaken by doubt, distrust, and deceit.

Primary Source and Opera Boston's workshop presented an exciting curriculum, filled with storytelling, theatre, movement, and art. Designed especially for elementary educators, the Madame White Snake seminar introduced teachers to the legend as well as the long and rich history of Chinese opera. Participating teachers also considered ways for students to compare Western and Chinese opera traditions.

Teachers from across New England walked away inspired by the class and ready to share the curriculum with their students. Brookline music teacher Anne Sheridan found the workshop "incredibly interesting and useful" and will use it to promote interdisciplinary learning, and she plans to share the curriculum with her sixth-graders as they study China in their social studies classes this spring. Jonathan Ewell, a teacher at the Friends School of Portland, Maine, will use the curriculum to lead his students in dramatic role-play exercises and a mask-making session. Rosemary Hunter, principal of Greenwood Elementary School in Warwick, Rhode Island, will incorporate Madame White Snake into a China class at her school and looks forward to attending the opera as well.

Madame White Snake will premiere at Opera Boston with three performances in February 2010. Tickets for this special event are available on Opera Boston's website or by calling (617) 824-9944.