Don’t be embarrassed if your baby causes a scene at Milwaukee Opera Theatre’s latest production – that’s part of the show. Camille’s Rainbow is an opera written for children ages 0-3. Live harp, soft singing and colorful projected visuals transform a baby-proofed Cathedral Square office space, where children interact with props and four performers while sitting around a circular rug.
Props include glowing orbs, balls to roll back and forth, and silks for playing peekaboo or catch. The star of the show is the parachute – much like the ones from elementary gym class. “It’s interactive in a simple, human, playful way,” says producing artistic director Jill Anna Ponasik.
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MOT’s staff shares a baby-teaching background, and it was through this shared experience they became interested in commissioning an opera made specifically for babies. They quickly found Camille’s Rainbow, which was co-commissioned by Carnegie Hall and the Minnesota Opera for in 2022.
“I loved and embraced (Camille’s Rainbow) rather than commissioning another piece because you could really tell that the creators made their decisions very thoughtfully in order to connect with babies,” Ponasik says.
Songs teach music and color while mimicking early experimentation with speech – babbling is encouraged. A playful song about yellow incorporates syllables from different languages, playing with the way that humans learn language by bathing in its sounds.
“When I had a baby, I would have been so hungry for there to be something like this to go to,” Ponasik says. “I hope that families have the opportunity to get out of the house to share a cultural moment in a safe space.”
You can take your toddler from May 21-June 1.
