January 14, 2026
On the morning of Wednesday, January 14, Hampton Roads Academy’s Lower Schoolers were treated to a special performance, the likes of which many had never experienced before. Though the students were seated in the familiar Svein J. Lassen Auditorium, the actors and musicians on stage were not the fellow students they were used to seeing there. Rather, they were professional performers from Virginia Opera, the official opera company of the Commonwealth.
In operation for over 50 years and partnering with HRA for the past decade, Virginia Opera is nationally recognized for its musically and dramatically exceptional performances and its commitment to education and outreach. This winter’s performance at the Academy was a production of Dragon’s Breath, an interactive, hour-long feature of the company’s Opera in the Classroom program by composer Evan Mack and Librettist Joshua McGuire. This new production represents the latest and most distinguished work in children’s opera. Written specifically for students of our Lower Schoolers’ age, Dragon’s Breath won the American Prize in Composition for the opera/theater/film/dance music professional division in 2024.
Virginia Opera’s visit, according to Director of Lower School Susanne Swain ’78, is part of “a long tradition we have in the Lower School of bringing in performers or programs from the outside that we feel really do enhance what we’re doing here.” Dragon’s Breath was an especially welcome opera, she explained, as it tells a story centering on “character values that align with our core values here at school.”