Pirates Spotted At Family Day At Virginia Opera

The world's most infamous gentlemen of fortune will swing into lively action and music at Virginia Opera's third annual "Family Day at the Opera" with performances of a special family version of Gilbert & Sullivan's "The Pirates of Penzance" at Norfolk's Harrison Opera House on April 28. Admission is $8 per person with free parking.

"Our goal here is to provide an affordable opportunity for people to experience the cultural arts in the most significant and meaningful way possible - together, as a family," says Jeff Corriveau, the company's director of education and audience development.

In addition to a reserved seat at either the 11 a.m. or 3 p.m. performance of "The Pirates of Penzance," admission includes access to the following indoor/outdoor events and activities from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m.:

* Souvenir pirate photos for families and kids

* Music and storytelling with Radio Disney (1650 AM)

* Prize raffle (one free ticket at the door, additional tickets are $1)

* Pirate eye patch decoration, mask making and face painting

* "Neptune's Quest" moonwalk, "Survivor, Jr." obstacle course, and "Tsunami Slide"

* Magic shows and games

* Norfolk Public Library's "Treasure Truck"

* Norfolk Sheriff Department's "Safety Print" program

* Craft-making with the Hampton Roads Naval Museum

Mr. Corriveau says he expects more than 3,000 people to attend the event, which is sponsored in part by the City of Norfolk, with production sponsorship from an anonymous donor. "Our first two 'Family Days' exceeded our expectations with sold-out performances and much higher attendance than we anticipated. With the reserved seating for this year's performances, I recommend families purchase tickets early to get the best seats," he says.

"Words alone can't describe what it's like to be a part of what - for some parents - is their child's first experience with opera, or the cultural arts. It can be like witnessing that first step all over again, except now they're stepping into the rich world of a live performance, where a child's imagination can make the whole thing nothing short of magical," says Mr. Corriveau. -- www.vaopera.org