Toledo Opera, in collaboration with The Findlay-Hancock County Community Foundation, is bringing opera to families in Findlay, Ohio, with a special presentation of Beauty and the Beast. Family Opera On Wheels will take place on Sunday, Apr. 6, at 1pm. in Armes Hall at the Marathon Center for Performing Arts. The event is part of the foundation’s “Fun for All” series and is free to the public, though registration is required. Due to high demand, the event is currently sold out.
Doors will open at 12pm. for interactive family-friendly activities. The performance, an adaptation of the classic fairytale Beauty and the Beast, will follow at 1pm. After the show, attendees will have the opportunity to meet the cast and participate in additional activities until 3pm.
Toledo Opera General Director James M. Norman emphasized the importance of this partnership in expanding the accessibility of opera. “Toledo Opera is thrilled to collaborate with the Findlay-Hancock County Community Foundation on Family Opera on Wheels. This partnership allows us to bring the magic of opera directly into the heart of the Hancock County area, creating accessible and engaging experiences for families,” Norman stated.
Chief Community Engagement Officer Kimberly Bash highlighted the event’s value to the local community, saying, “Opera combines a captivating blend of music, drama, and storytelling, creating a visually and emotionally engaging experience that appeals to people of all ages.”
The production is based on the original French fairytale by Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont and features music inspired by the works of 18th-century composer André Ernest Modeste Grétry. Joshua Borths of James Madison University School of Music adapted the score and libretto, with direction by James M. Norman. The cast includes Toledo Opera Resident Artists Sarah Rachel Bacani, Emily Cotten, Brady DelVecchio, Robbie Raso, and Alessandro “Alex” Rotundo.
Since its establishment in 1992, The Findlay-Hancock County Community Foundation has granted over $85 million to community projects. For more information about the foundation, contact Genna Freed at gfreed@community-foundation.com or call 419-425-1100. For details on the event, visit Marathon Center for Performing Arts.
