Mozart in the 9 3 (june the 5th)

 The 9 3 (pronounced separately Neuf Trois  by people who live in this area,  is a Northern suburb  of Paris reached from Gare de Lyon with the RER B at Chatelet.
It is densely populated. Being mainly inhabited by immigrants, poor ones,  it has a bad reputation and has had several rough episodes of riots and all sorts of social problems concerning its young population. Schooling is not easy in this suburb. It is well known the French board of Education does not do as much as it would be necessary to help this population.
My daughter- in- law has been teaching for nearly ten years in a school in the 93. She often has had to
face heartbreaking situations, the worst one being when  children were suddenly taken out of school by the Police because parents did not have the necessary documents to be residents in France.
In June 14,  we met in Paris when I was there for Werther and she told me she would like to spend a schoolyear with Mozart and the Magic Flute with her class of 10 year old kids as a cultural  project shared with the Music and the Art teachers.
A vocal coach and lyric singer would be needed to give them the lyric approach which is essential if the children are going to perform, sing,  act and dance.
She had an idea I might help her  to find a friend opera singer to step in this project.
I rapidly  told my friend singer Arnaud  and enquired about who he would recommend.
  He volunteered without hesitaion!
That is why we came to the 93 near Le Bourget for this amazing Magic Flute with this terrific CM1 class! They performed in the Dugny School of Music auditorium with their music teacher at the piano and their Art teacher at the violin, he played Papageno's aria at the interludes and we all enjoyed this tune!
These children who sang the adapted French version of The Magic Flute for children,  will remember this experience for ever.
The production team  (with hardly any money) created colourful masks inspired by Papageno, they also designed the snake.
The Art teacher was in charge of the masks and decorative snake with the participation of some of the children who came during lunch hours to help with the decoration.

When Tamino faced the snake, the young audience had a sigh of shiver and was thrilled by the story, like a fairy tale... all in French of course. The reader made it clear to follow and the music started from the piano and the violin.The interest was growing and gradually I could feel they were all captured and thrilled to watch their schoolmates and teachers performing!
When Pamina ( the Music teacher) and Papageno-Arnaud sang the French version of  this ode to human love :
"bei Männern welche Liebe fühlen"(the only lyric aria sung by them)

Libretto/Lyrics/Text:

PAMINA
Bey Männern, welche Liebe fühlen,
Fehlt auch ein gutes Herze nicht.

PAPAGENO
Die süssen Triebe mit zu fühlen,
Ist dann der Weiber erste Pflicht.

BEYDE
Wir wollen uns der Liebe freu'n,
Wir leben durch die Lieb allein.

PAMINA
Die Lieb' versüsset jede Plage,
Ihr opfert jede Kreatur.

PAPAGENO
Sie würzet unsre Lebenstage,
Sie wirkt im Kreise der Natur.

BEYDE
Ihr hoher Zweck zeigt deutlich an,
Nichts edlers sey, als Weib und Mann.
Mann und Weib, und Weib und Mann,
Reichen an die Götter an.

Beyde ab

English Libretto or Translation:

PAMINA
In men who feel love,
a good heart, too, is never lacking.

PAPAGENO
Sharing these sweet urges
is then women's first duty.

PAMINA, PAPAGENO
We want to enjoy love;
it is through love alone that we live.

PAMINA
Love sweetens every sorrow;
every creature pays homage to it.

PAPAGENO
It gives relish to the days of our life,
it acts in the cycle of nature.

PAMINA, PAPAGENO
Its high purpose clearly proclaims:
there is nothing nobler than woman and man.
Man and woman, and woman and man,
reach towards the deity.

the children and audience seemed mesmerised. The quiet dance which accompanied this famous aria was the best of the evening for me. The choreography at the end was more modern like a soft break dance version! The applause were terrific.... th
When the chorus sang major arias it was amazing to see how they all knew their parts and projected their voice together ! Papageno's aria was a hit!
The long hours spent rehearsing had a marvellous result and the enthusiasm of the audience was a true reward for the children and their mentors.
Then there was a' goûter' organised by staff and parents with home -made cakes offered by some

mothers. The childen  enjoyed chatting with us and were happy to feel a warm welcoming in the playground. They nearly all blew off the  steam by climbing the frame in the Music school playground!
Will they come across one of these arias sometime in their life and suddenly remember the words of love and wisdom from these tunes they learnt by heart in their youth?
It will certainly be a happy memory.

 

The fluffy masks, the children and the staff during Papageno's aria: 

 

 

The Queen of the Night was a silent role, played by my daughter-in -law, who had very efficient gestures during her stormy apparition... At the end she was cheered by her young audience... and thanked a lot by the parents! The whole team had a lot of applause!

I myself was moved to see so much patience, good will and talent to serve Mozart in the 9 3.