East Rockaway’s Tri-M Music Honor Society members stepped into the world of opera last week with a trip to New York City’s Metropolitan Opera to attend the final dress rehearsal of Giacomo Puccini’s “La Bohème.”

Accompanied by Music Department Chairperson Pete Ceglio, chorus teacher Seanna Silver and orchestra teacher Noah Luft-Weissberg, the students attended the rehearsal through the Met’s Access Opera program. The program invites local students and educators to experience a final run-through of an opera before opening night, offering a rare opportunity to see a professional production take shape behind the scenes.

Through the program, teachers receive an educator guide and supplemental resources for the production they attend, with the option to participate in workshops that explore ways to connect opera with other subject areas.

For some Tri-M members, the trip marked their first opportunity to experience a live opera. Seeing “La Bohème” performed at the Met made the experience particularly memorable, bringing the music they study in the classroom into a world-class performance setting.

Often considered one of the world’s most popular operas, “La Bohème” tells the story of love and loss among a group of bohemian artists living in 1830s Paris. The Met’s production was originally staged by Franco Zeffirelli and has been performed by the company for more than 45 years.

The Tri-M Music Honor Society, a program of the National Association for Music Education, recognizes students who excel academically and musically while providing opportunities to develop leadership skills through music-based service projects. Through experiences like this, Tri-M members are able to deepen their understanding of music while experiencing the professional world beyond the classroom.

Thank you to the Metropolitan Opera for providing this opportunity for our students and helping bring the world of opera to life for the next generation of musicians.