MIAMI – Florida Grand Opera (FGO) and South Miami-Dade Cultural Arts Center (SMDCAC) will be collaborating to present a special Florida Grand Opera Family Day on Saturday, January 7, 2017. This day of opera-related activities seeks to encourage inclusion in the arts, allowing children to discover that “Opera is for You.” This event is part of SMDCAC’s Family Series presented by Mercedes-Benz of Cutler Bay.

“We are very happy to work with South Miami-Dade Cultural Arts Center again for this Family Day event,” said FGO’s Director of Education and Community Engagement, Rebekah Diaz-Fandrei. “FGO’s mission is to educate, entertain and encourage a community of opera lovers, and our partners at SMDCAC smoothly and diligently to make an important impact on our community.”

Children of all ages can explore the world of opera through hands on activities, interactive experiences, and the thrill of live theater. Activities will engage children in aspects of the creative fields that go into bringing an opera to life to spark each child’s interest in this grand art form.

From stage makeup to special effects, prop design to singing, activities are sure to have something for everyone. To make the experience a memorable one, live performances of FGO’s “Read Along, Sing a Song” literacy program and roaming acapella singers will highlight the day.

The day will conclude with members of Florida International University’s (FIU) Vocal Performance Program putting all of these elements together in a performance of The Toy Shop – a 45-minute, hilarious and family-friendly opera featuring two toys who come to life!

Children who stay until the end of the performance will be given a free gift courtesy of Florida Grand Opera’s Department of Education and Community Engagement.