Thoughts for the Week:

In this opera (Windstorm in Bubbleland), as in others, I've tried to show children that projects can be satisfying -- not just what you make or do, but the actual making and doing as well. Something else I hope children will learn as they watch our operas taking shape is the importance of cooperation. Making and doing something with several other people is a very different kind of experience than working by yourself. It brings its own problems of sharing and giving in to other people's ideas ... but it brings its own rewards, too. Watching the puppets and neighbors of Make-Believe work together to create a story, make up songs and learn their parts can, I hope, help young children put value on cooperation -- and on themselves.