Children's opera by Philip Seward to premiere in Chicago Feb. 22

The world premiere of "African Stories," a children's opera based on three folk tales, with music and libretto by Chicago composer Philip Seward, will take place Feb. 22 in Chicago.

It will be presented at 6 p.m. in the auditorium of North Kenwood/Oakland Charter School (NKO), 1119 East 46th Street.

The performance is free and open to the public. The new work was commissioned by Lyric Opera of Chicago for its OperaKids! educational outreach program.

Elementary-grade students in the E.X.T.R.A. after-school program at NKO will perform the "African Stories" trilogy based on classic African folk tales: "The Neverending Day," "The Daughter of the Sun and the Moon," and "Two Ways to Count to Ten."

The three stories are woven together by Tanko, the storyteller; other characters in the opera include a goddess of the river, a tribal chief, a princess, a leopard king, a crocodile, a hippopotamus, a frog, and a very clever antelope.

The score is layered with African rhythms, drumming, and melodies reminiscent of East Africa.

"We are thrilled that Muntu Dance Theatre of Chicago has collaborated on this project by choreographing dances specifically for the opera, and providing African drumming during the performance," said Lyric's education director Jean Kellogg. "We are also fortunate that Sherwood Conservatory of Music has worked with Lyric's OperaKids! program since its inception in 2001 and provides music instructors for the program in Chicago's public schools."

Lyric Opera of Chicago's education department created the OperaKids! program to provide quality musical material for children to sing, and to give them the experience of producing an opera appropriate for grade levels K-6.

In 2001, Lyric Opera premiered the first OperaKids! commission, "Stone Soup," written by Seward. It has had more than 25 productions since the premiere. "A Noteworthy Tale" followed in 2003 (also composed by Seward), and now "African Stories in 2007."

Children participate directly in the performance and production of these operas written especially for them. OperaKids! provides comprehensive study materials that cover state and Chicago Public Schools standards 25, 26, and 27, plus a variety of languagearts and social-studies goals.

The world premiere performance of "African Stories" will be conducted by Luis Antonio Galvez-Alcantara, artistic director for the production and a Sherwood Conservatory faculty member. Vaune Blalock, production choreographer, is program director for Muntu Dance Theatre. Piano accompaniment is by Scott Will of Sherwood Conservatory's faculty.