Your first lesson should always be the Mandatory Lesson or a review of that lesson. If you have time for only one other lesson, please make that a review of the synopsis (story or plot line) of the play. The Daughter of the Regiment is singing theatre. For the history of this art form, go to this link. Many potential lessons are available from this opera. If you have time for more than one lesson, or if your students already understand the rules of live theatre, please feel free to choose additional lessons. They are divided roughly by general subject matter, e. g. language arts, social studies, et cetera. This is just a brief list of suggestions.

Links to the California Standards for further suggestions: Language Arts, History and Social Science, Theatre, Music, Dance

Language Arts
Critique
Have your students write a column of criticism of The Daughter of the Regiment. Be sure they support their opinion with data from the performance. Be sure to make this assignment before they attend so they can be thinking about it as they watch the performance. Choices could include the music as performed by the orchestra, the music as performed by the vocalists (either collectively or individually), the sets, the staging and the directing. Have your students read several newspaper columns before they attend the performance so they can be familiar with a professional’s manner of critiquing. (VAPA Theatre 4.0)

Rewrite/revise
Have your students’ revise or rewrite a portion of the opera that they either did not like or that they felt would be stronger/funnier/better if written differently. Have the remainder of the class offer opinions on whether they think the revision is an improvement.

Character Study
Compare Marie to a leading character in a story you have studied in class. Tell how she is the same as that character AND how she is different. Which character is more interesting? Why? Be sure to cite examples to support your opinion. Compare Tonio in the same way.

The character of the Duchess Krackenthorpe presents class consciousness. The issue of arranged and often loveless marriages are brought to the fore. The Duchess is the ultimate snob. How does this affect the play and players? This is an acting role, not a singing role. It has been played “in drag” by Danny Kaye and Victor Borge and by Carol Burnett at Wolf Trap in Virginia. How would these actors change or enhance the role? Who would you recommend today and why?

Author Study
Your students should know that singing theater is a collaboration between the author (librettist) who writes the words and the composer (lyricist) who writes the music. Investigate the relationship between Gaetano Donizetti and Jules-Henri Vernoy De Saint-Georges and Jean-Francois Bayard. As you study these three men, look for similarities and differences in their life experiences. Look at their work production and determine if life played a part in their works. Support your opinion with evidence.

Humanities
The setting of this opera and its time frame are both very nebulous. Have your students research the events of Central Europe from 1800 through around 1825. Have them make a case for the year in which they would set the action and where they would set it. France, Switzerland, Germany and Austria have all been mentioned as possibilities.

This opera gives some insight into the role of women in the military of the 19th century. Look at Marie's “advancement” to vivandière. Have your students research the role of camp followers in the armies of the time. Have them compare and contrast those roles with the role of women in our modern armies.

Look at the social implications of Marie's “adoption” by the regiment. When her family finds her, what is their reaction? What kind of “education” has she had? Was her conduct as a tomboy acceptable in her new social class?

Marie “must” marry some one in the regiment. What are the implications of this? Does she “owe” the regiment something for saving her life? Several issues around “duty” are presented. Tonio's leaving with the regiment he now belongs to is another such test. Examine the notion of “duty.” Decide if it is a good thing, not a good thing or even a bad thing. Present evidence to support your opinion.

Fine Arts
Music
The soprano Beverly Sills often appeared in this role and played the drum where called for. The actual drum she used is on display in the Birth North Park Theatre lobby during the performances. In several opera, the characters on stage “play” instruments (Papageno his bells and Tamino his flute in The Magic Flute for example.) Do you think it matters if the performer actually plays the drum or bells or other item? Why or why not? Cite evidence to support your claim. (VAPA Music 4.0)

This play is in the bel canto tradition. Have your students study this vocal form. Have them listen to several operas in the form and decide if they like this tradition. Have them support their opinions with evidence from the music they have heard. Luciano Pavarotti considered bel canto the ideal. Have your students read his opinion and determine if they would support him. Why or why not? (VAPA Music 1.0)

The tenor aria with nine high C's (Pour mon amê– For my soul) is very difficult. Would you be content to hear the opera with a tenor who compromised by using a B natural instead? Be very attentive at the end of Act I and criticize the performance of this aria. Be sure to support your criticism with evidence. (VAPA MUSIC 1.0)

Have your students write new lyrics for one of the songs in the play. (The chorus Salut to France is often rewritten for another place.) Be sure the students choose a place that they are familiar with and utilize details from that place. Have the other students see if they can identify the new location. Rataplan could also be a song that students can rewrite.

This opera uses many different kinds of music including marches. Often, in Europe, this induced audience participation, including clapping and stomping to the music. Would an opera audience in the United States today participate that way? What venues would allow or encourage that activity? Would that make the opera more appealing to you? Justify your answer with evidence. (VAPA Music 4.3)

In the second act, the trio dances. Criticize the performance and be very specific. How difficult is it to find artists who can both sing and dance to a professional level? Sometimes the dance portion is deleted. How important is that decision? Give evidence to support your opinion. (VAPA Dance 4.0)

Costumes
Write a review of the costumes. Include such things are your opinion of their authenticity, their effectiveness, and how they help or hinder the success of the play. Draw a new set of costumes for this play. Be sure to write a justification for the changes you make. Be sure to think of the constraints such as budget and ease of use by the performers. Also, costumes must be reused by different people at other venues (rentals). Remember this is a comedy. Costumes sometimes are used because they are funny.(VAPA Theatre 1.2)

The traditional costumes are used at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. One of the problems is in changing a man's military costumes to suit a woman. What other problems could a designer anticipate based on the story line of this opera? How would you solve those issues? (VAPA Theatre 1.2)

Set Design
Design a new series of sets for this play. Be sure to write a justification for your design. Remember, things such as budget and size of stage area affect what sets are used. Also, all sets must be portable as many companies rent sets and all companies must store their sets for reuse. (VAPA Theatre 1.2)

Lyric Opera's sets were originally designed by Samargo for La Scala in Milan, Italy in 1936. The design was drawn on linen and later reproduced. What problems do you foresee in converting linen drawings to sets? How would you anticipate those problems and what solutions would you suggest? (VAPA Theatre 1.2)

Careers
Several people are famous for performing bel canto roles. This opera is said to have made Luciano Pavarotti famous. Among the others are Jenny Lind and Dame Joan Sutherland. Earlier names include Lily Pons and Nellie Melba. These were also great coloratura sopranos. Look at their careers and decide if this opera helped their careers. Were there other roles that may have made a greater difference? What other factors lead the their success? What is the evidence to support your claim?(VAPA Theatre 5.0)

There are many people other than performers involved in this kind of production. There are two links to help you here. The first link (Creating an Opera) will tell your students about creating the performance itself. There are numbers of people who are involved in this process. The second link (Unsung Heroes) will provide you with the people who are rarely, if ever, seen. Have your students look at this and determine an area that interests them. Have them research the opportunities in that area and write a report on it. (VAPA Theatre 5.0)

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Revised November 2008
Please credit Lyric Opera San Diego when using this material.