George Mason Elementary School continues its ground-breaking opera education program for the 2007-2008 academic year with the “Kindergarten Water Cycle Opera,” or, “Each Little Drop is Here to Stay,” an opera written by all three kindergarten classes, which will perform the work at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, May 28, in the gardens outside the school, 2601 Cameron Mills Road, Alexandria.

Music teacher Kathleen Baker has developed a partnership with Washington National Opera for the opera education program, which has received funding this year from The Washington Post, Marcia N. Speck and other donors. The kindergarten opera follows the fourth-grade opera, Triptych, which premiered on April 30 and featured figures from Alexandria history during the Revolution, the Civil War and Reconstruction, with the assistance of the Alexandria Archaeology Program, Museum Educator Ruth Reeder and Alexandrias Poet Laureate, Mary McElveen.

The four first-grade classes at George Mason are completing work on their original operas based on books and characters they love, and will present their productions to parents on Wednesday, June 11.

The Kindergarten Water Cycle Opera features music and text written by the kindergarten students in their music classes and costumes made by the students in their art classes. Students will demonstrate their understanding of high and low pressure systems, evaporation, condensation and water in its many forms, including three clouds of fog moving over a vegetable garden while singing a song in Phrygian mode!

For more information and an invitation to the “world premiere,” contact the school at 703-706-4470.