I served as Opera-Matic Director from 2009 to 2017.
Opera-Matic produces interactive art events free to the public. People are brought together around invented holidays honoring local mentors, lullaby parades, obstacle courses, do-it-yourself instant ode writing workshops, instrument making, public song practice, and a lot more.
Serenade to Humboldt Park
On May 7th we sang praises to Humboldt Park. After the Humboldt Park Neighborhood Children’s Choir kicked off the evening with a participatory performance, visitors strolled the park, created odes to favorite spots, and uncovered hidden park histories. Artists illuminated ordinary objects and Arawak’Opia, SRBCC’s Youth Bomba Group sang former landmarks back into public memory. The magical evening concluded with a group serenade to neighborhood hero MAGGIE MARTINEZ, accompanied by the Lowell Elementary School Band.
Serenade to Simon’s Park
Opera-Matic’s second installment in the Joyful Passage Serenade Series celebrated a smaller neighborhood park within the Humboldt Park neighborhood. During this late summer celebration, we highlighted the treasures of Simons Park, including the late, great, professional boxing champ JOHNNY “HURRICANE” HEARD. For over 20 years, Johnny was a boxing coach for Chicago Park District’s Humboldt Park region, and was a help, hero, and hurricane to many. We serenaded his memory with hurricane sculptures, gigantic punching bags, slow motion boxing animations, and a shadow boxing ring.
Serenade to Mozart Park
Opera-Matic’s third installment in the Joyful Passage Serenade Series celebrated people, places and everyday objects in and around Mozart Park. Participants played with a Rube Goldberg-esque “Ghost” Mustard Factory, a singing Loteria game, composed do-it-yourself odes, and turned mustard seeds into mustard!
We sang praises for EVA CALDERON (1946 – 2012), referred to by many as “the mother of us all”, who transformed relationships between parents, teachers and students at Mozart Elementary School. She began her work as a parent volunteer in 1975, acting as a support to make the school a more welcoming place for parents. In 1987, Eva was more formerly recognized for her remarkable abilities and hired as the School Community Liaison. When Palenque LSNA (formerly Logan Square Neighborhood Association) expanded the Parent Mentor Program to Mozart Elementary in 1997, Eva became the model parent leader. In 2001, she founded the Mozart Parents Lending Library, providing parents with opportunities to build great things together through reading, sharing, and friendship.
ODO TO EVA CALDERON (composed with help from friends and lending library parents)
Mother of mothers, fighter with heart,
the bridges you built brought our culture and art
from our homes to our school, our school to our homes,
while as parent mentors from isolation we rose.
With humility and kindness, such compassion you showed,
you opened up doors that had always been closed.
Your smile so large, brought such joy every day
To help those in need, you went out of your way.
1000 bags for Children’s Day,
a lending library, an invitation to stay.
You created community by being yourself
and taught us the power of being ourselves.
We were never alone with you by our side,
We never felt lost with your smile as our guide.
You made us a family and reminded us when
we put love before ego, everyone wins.
You made us a family and reminded us when
we put love before ego, everyone wins.
606 Block Party
On June 4 opera-matic celebrated the one year anniversary of The 606. Opera-Matic artists and musicians facilitated interactive music and art-making workshops creating delightful moments that inspired neighborhood spirit!
Participants learned to write odes to their favorite people, places and everyday objects at our serenade stations, and musicians Charly Barbera, Quincy Raggs, Nick Davio, Jyl Fehrenkamp and the Snail Band featuring Ronnie Kuller put them to music! We enjoyed performances from the Chicago Cuatro Orchestra, the Lowell Elementary School Drum Line, and New Millennium Orchestra String Quartet.
That evening, participants created illuminated paper head dresses, worn during the Illumination Hour Procession. New friends became puppeteers in our shadow puppet parade, accompanied by performers from Segundo Ruiz Belvis Cultural Center, and West Town Bikes.
