Opera Night Trips

Although the TOPS Program focuses heavily on mathematics and the sciences as core subjects, our students are also exposed to many different experiences as possible. At Marc Garneau Collegiate Institute, our students are situated within a large and diverse student body, which adds dimension to each student's person in the TOPS setting.

Consequently, the TOPS program organizes trips to experience a bit of everything for the four years the students are together in the program. These events are great opportunities for students and teachers alike to enjoy culture and taste different flavours that make up our current society. One of such is to open the hearts and minds of today's youth to the theatrical arts. These are our opera nights.

In the spring of 2004, TOPS classes were taken to an evening show of Giuseppe Verdi's Rigoletto. In September of 2005, the TOPS Grade 9's and 10's were taken to an evening show of Bizet's Carmen, at the Hummingbird Centre. The story of Carmen is about a playful gypsy dancer named Carmen, who Don Jose, a soldier, falls in love with. However, after Carmen grows tired of Don Jose, she falls in love with a toreador by the name of Escamillo. Don Jose, whose mind is shrouded with jealousy, stabs the gypsy to death.

A TOPS student notes, "They were able to set up different props and displays to set the mood, and they also did an excellent job with the background to show the time of day. The performers sang and danced wonderfully; overall, the performance was brilliant."

In late October 2005, the Grade 11's and 12's were taken to see Handel's Rodelinda at the Hummingbird Centre as well. Rodelinda is about Rodelinda, who is the wife of the supposedly dead King Bertarido. Grimoaldo, the usurper, arrives to seek Rodelinda's hand in marriage, but Rodelinda refuses. King Bertarido, who is still alive and had been away just to buy him time to regain his land sees his wife and son again. However, when discovered with Rodelinda, Grimoaldo imprisons the king. Towards the end, Grimoaldo has a change of heart, and offers to be the husband of Eduige, Bertarido's sister. King Bertarido is then reunited with Rodelinda.