with the Israel Sinfonietta Beersheva
March 31 in Beersheva
Conductor: Karin Ben-Joseph
Director: Shirit Lee Weiss

The singers of the Opera Studio, the Israeli Opera's Young Artists Program, will perform a special program with the Israel Chamber Orchestra, as part of the orchestra's family concerts series, in which they will perform a special program devoted to the music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Karin Ben-Joseph will conduct the concerts at the Beersheva Performing Arts Center (March 31) at 17:00 and 18:30. 
Mozart's Surprise Box is the story of two young sisters who embark on a journey in which a special map leads them to a treasure that lies deep in a forest. Finding themselves in front of a big cupboard in the middle of the forest, the sisters try to understand the meaning of the map and find the hidden treasure. Looking hesitantly inside the cupboard, they discover a numerous costumes and unique characters from Mozart operas like the ladies of the Queen of the Night from The Magic Flute. With the help of these characters the young sisters learn about Mozart the composer and the great operas he composed. They learn what opera is all about and how to sing opera and what is so special about opera. At the end they comprehend that the great treasure they have discovered will remain with them for life – as the treasure is Mozart's great music.
Mozart's Surprise Box is a charming musical-operatic experience in Hebrew which brings the magic of opera in general and of the music of Mozart in particular to children of all ages in a fully staged production with colorful costumes written and directed by Niv Hoffman, one of the leading young opera directors in Israel. The program features numbers from the popular Mozart operas The Magic flute, The Marriage of Figaro, Don Giovanni and The Abduction from the Seraglio.

The leading roles of the two young sisters who embark on the journey of discovery will be performed by opera singers Avigail Gurtler (soprano) and Yifat Weisskopf (mezzo soprano). Also appearing in the production are Opera Studio singers Agam Englrad-Saar (soprano) and Na'ama Goldman (mezzo soprano) as well as guest singer Or Ben Natan (bass).