Mozart Park Serenade

Mozart Park Field House: November 12 2016  

Opera-Matic's third and final installment of the 2016 Joyful Passage Serenade Series, where un-sung heroes and places are sung back into public memory.   Our culminating event celebrated the people, places and everyday objects that make things, and make things better, in and around Mozart Park. Participants played with a Rube Goldberg-esque "Ghost" Mustard Factory, a singing Loteria game, composed do-it-yourself odes, and turn mustard seeds into mustard!  More details below. 

We sung praises for Eva Calderon (1946 - 2012), referred to by many as "the mother of us all", who transformed relationships between parents, teachers and students at Mozart Elementary School.  She began her work as a parent volunteer in 1975, acting as a helpful support to make the school a more welcoming place for parents.  In 1987, Eva was more formerly recognized for her remarkable abilities and hired as the School Community Liaison.    When the Logan Square Neighborhood Association expanded the Parent Mentor Program to Mozart Elementary in 1997, Eva became the model parent leader.  In 2001, she founded the Mozart Parents Lending Library, providing parents with opportunities to build great things together through reading, sharing, and friendship.

Through song and interactive visual installations, we also honored the historic Ten Bruin Mustard factory, a family owned business that moved across the street from the park in 1927, and operated on the corner of Avers and Armitage for 30 years.  We ate hot dogs with homemade mustard and kept warm up with hot apple cider.

SERIES FRAMEWORK: JOYFUL PASSAGE 2016 SERENADE SERIES PLAYFULLY PUSHES CHICAGO'S SAFE PASSAGE PROGRAM TO LYRICAL AND ARTISTIC HEIGHTS UNSEEN. BY ACTIVATING OUTDOOR PUBLIC SPACES THROUGH CREATIVE PLACE-MAKING, OPERA-MATIC CREATES OPPORTUNITIES FOR JOYFUL SHARED EXPERIENCES AND CIVIC ACTION, INVITING PEOPLE TO KNOW ONE ANOTHER IN NEW WAYS.