From School Visits to a Musical Home: How OperaDelaware's Young(est) Artists Are Changing the Game – by Emily Margevich

Emily margevich as tosca | Operadelaware 2025 | moonloop photography

Thank you all so much for taking the time to read about an exciting new project for OperaDelaware! For those of you who don’t know me, I became the first Company Artist with OperaDelaware in September of 2024. When I am not singing on stage for the company, I am spearheading our Educational Outreach Program! From day one of working here, I knew I wanted to focus on bringing young people into our opera community! With the platform from being an OD Company Artist, I’ve been able to visit almost a dozen different schools and youth organizations sharing various forms of operatic curriculum that’s centered in improvisation. I have a lesson plan, but I want to meet the students with friendliness at their level of interest for that day. I want to introduce opera starting from a familiar place. When I was growing up, I didn’t know anything about opera even though I grew up in a musical family. Opera can be as accessible and as enjoyable as any entertainment choice, and that’s when my wheels started turning!

It was no surprise to me that young people were curious about opera; enthusiastic, thoughtful, creative, and eager to explore theatre and music with me. They asked smart questions and engaged with me immediately. They reminded me how I fell in love with this art form in the first place—my Grandma as my voice teacher and my mom as my theatre and dance teacher and model of what it means to be a citizen dedicated to their community.

My past and my present clicked, and I realized that OperaDelaware had the opportunity to provide something important that I had the privilege of living first hand my entire childhood—an artistic home for young people. OperaDelaware did not have any youth programs available when I became a Company Artist. So when I decided to spend this summer leading Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat with young Delawareans, it was more than exciting—it was a chance to build something new for OperaDelaware, drawing on my own experience with performing arts education and my position as a Company Artist.

My goal isn't only to teach music, prepare a performance, or force a love for opera. I wanted students to feel confident using their minds, bodies, voices, and emotions in a space all together through experiencing me as an opera singer and getting comfortable with OperaDelaware—as audience members and as performers, too. I wanted to remind students that using our imaginations isn’t kid stuff—it’s what professional performers get paid to do all day long. I want to encourage the students to know that muscle for self expression and play isn’t something you grow out of; it’s a beautiful gift we all can exercise. Our free spirits should be cultivated, encouraged, shared, and seriously valued.

Students who first discovered us through outreach programs now run through our doors excited to rehearse, create, sing, dance, and spend time together. Families who may never have attended an opera before are becoming audience members and advocates for the arts. Most importantly, young people know they are welcomed at OperaDelaware. Whether they're aspiring musicians, theater-loving kids, curious first-timers, students still figuring out where they fit, or young people who had fun during my visits and wanted to continue using their imagination with me are all now on stage together thriving! They’re all finding community inside our opera studio.

A student I randomly met in the hallway of a school I was visiting is now my Production Assistant, creating props and set pieces for our show. I’ve no doubt they will have a career in theatre! The students and I are having so much fun preparing this important production together. We’re storytellers, and we understand each other. Yes, I'm their teacher and leader, but some of my favorite moments happen when we're collaborating together as partners in the process.

Our rehearsals are built on respect, humor, fun, inclusivity, support, kindness, focus, celebration, play, and hard work. We listen to one another's ideas positively. We learn from one another. We laugh a lot, we help out, and we applaud each other’s work loudly and proudly! Young people thrive when they're treated with respect and given a genuine voice. The rehearsal room becomes a place where everyone contributes, everyone grows, and everyone matters. Those are lessons that extend well beyond music.

The big age range of our participants is awesome. Ages 5 to 16—well, ages 5 to 30 if we count me—have become one family. In fact, this show is all about family. For example, the 12 people who play the siblings in this show are caring for each other like real family members on and off stage. Watching the older students instinctively take on leadership roles to help the younger kids is the best, heartwarming, and rewarding satisfaction. Perhaps the most treasured part of this program has been watching our students become their own community.

The story and the music makes the age difference disappear. The kind conversations and the fun friendships that are already solidified after just a few days of rehearsals is proof that our world can connect genuinely and instantly; and music is the best magic to bring people together. The students help each other remember entrances, set props, solve problems, and celebrate successes. We’re learning about life, responsibility, relationships, awareness, accountability, and communication—all through music and theatre. Experience doesn't matter. Background doesn't matter. What matters is learning how to coexist, collaborate, share ideas, share space, and care for one another. That’s why I worked hard to allow this program to exist. Young people are the best, and I want them to know about opera. We now have the next generation of opera goers walking through our studio doors every day. Who is going to go see operas in 10, 15 years? These students will. They’ll know what opera IS! They’ll have a relationship with an opera singer, now and forever. That’s cool!

The greatest validation has come from the students and families themselves. Their trust, support, and commitment have shown me that this work matters and is possible for OperaDelaware. A huge thank you to Company Artist Gerard Moon for his support setting up the stage and his fabulous wife, Yuri, who is our orchestra for the performance!

What started as a feeling that I needed to stay connected with students I met at school visits has become something much larger. We are creating a new OperaDelaware fan base- students and their families. We have such an amazing facility in the OperaDelaware Studios, and I am so grateful we are allowing that space to be where young people feel seen, valued, and inspired.

OperaDelaware strives to be a company with state-wide impact, and in our cast of Joseph we have students from Bellefonte, Middletown, Bear, Pike Creek, and Wilmington. Some schools represented in our cast are Richey Elementary, Cab Calloway School of the Arts, Padua Academy, Alfred G. Waters Middle School, Ursuline Academy, Springer Middle School, Odyssey Charter, and the organization Four Youth, to name a few!

With the gift of being a Company Artist, I've been allowed to create the kind of experience that shaped my own childhood—the skills I learned musically, socially, and morally growing up around music made me an adult that OperaDelaware wanted to hire two short years ago. I am so proud of the work the students and I are doing, and I am excited to share our efforts with OperaDelaware staff, fans, and patrons to reimagine how we can share opera, why we share opera, and with whom we share opera.

A few quotes from students and parents:

“I love the acting games! Practices are a lot of fun. I like the breaks for snacks, I also like Ms Emily, and when we get to talk with each other when we are early and meeting new people.” - Franklin

“OperaDelaware recently offered a workshop to introduce the art form to young people. My son and I attended, and Emily did an excellent job engaging the kids into the world of opera through discussion, song, demonstration, and fun games. Before this experience, I had never really considered how easily opera could become a lost art form if it is appreciated primarily by older generations who actively seek it out - it is not a mainstream art that is widely available or on the radar for most people living in this country. Inviting young people to participate in opera is a wonderful way to build a lifelong connection to it. I’m grateful that OperaDelaware is giving young performers the chance to stretch themselves artistically while helping ensure that opera continues to be discovered and appreciated by future generations.” - Kelly W.

“I LOVE Ms. Emily and all of my new friends!!”- Olivia

“We are thrilled to see OperaDelaware branch out to offer a youth production opportunity. This is in line with what other arts organizations are doing throughout the state, such as Wilmington Drama League and Delaware Symphony Orchestra. We are proud to help support Ms Emily, who is not only an amazing artist, but also an innovative educator who is bringing her love, energy, and commitment to every aspect of this production. We love that opera can be fun, accessible, and engaging in this way!” Grace and David

Limited tickets remain for the youth production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat! Head to operade.org/tickets to secure yours today!