Normandy third graders wrote an opera — and they’re putting ‘the wolf’ on trial

By the end of third grade, many students transition from “learning to read” to “reading to learn.” Further, they use writing to a greater extent to help tell stories and they begin to comprehend more complex literary works.

For third graders at Jefferson Elementary in the Normandy Schools Collaborative, part of their learning this year is a unique opportunity to write the libretto to an original one-act opera, “The Big Bad Day,” inspired by the childrens book “The True Story of the Three Little Pigs” by Jon Scieszka.

This isn’t an everyday school recital. The students are working with professionals from Opera Theatre of St. Louis and the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. The opera will have its public debut tonight at the Touhill Performing Arts Center at University of Missouri-St. Louis.

Opera Theatre of St. Louis’ work at the school began in early September.