Opera On Tour

Headed across Middle Tennessee

February 9 – March 26, 2027

MATO The Bear Who Couldn't Fish

Tour Information

For: Elementary schools through colleges and universities
Dates: Feb 9 – March 26, 2027 | Registration: Opens August 3, 2026
Cost: FREE FOR ALL SCHOOLS (priority given to Title I schools)

Elementary schools will experience Mato: The Bear Who Couldn’t Fish. Students meet Mato, a curious young bear learning to fish, forage, and build shelter with help from animal friends like Eagle, Otter, and Snake, discovering along the way that patience, teamwork, and a little failure are all part of growing stronger.

BONUS: Schools may also request a free 10-minute question-and-answer session with the artists after the performance. All participating schools receive a study guide and an accessibility toolkit for teachers to prepare students for the performance.

Middle schools through colleges and universities will experience Opera Out Loud, bringing the art form to campus for older students.

This program aligns with Tennessee Curriculum Standards for Music, Theatre, Dance, Visual Arts, Reading, Writing, History, Social Studies, Math, and Sciences.

Please contact Director of Education & Engagement Stephen Carey at scarey@nashvilleopera.org with any questions.

After registering, our team will follow up directly to confirm your performance date and send along your study guide and toolkit.

opera out loud

This light and lively 30-minute recital introduces all facets of opera in a truly relatable way! Your students will enjoy meeting four real live opera singers as they bring to life the art form they love, right in your school.

BONUS: Schools may also request a free 25- to 35-minute post-performance question-and-answer session with the artists.

This program aligns with Tennessee Curriculum Standards for Music, Theatre, Reading, Writing, History, Social Studies.

Did you know proceeds from all specialty license plates go to the Arts?

The arts are getting cut from state budgets across America. In Tennessee, we are fortunate to have an additional source of funding. The extra revenue we receive from specialty and personalized license plate sales has been key to our survival. More than 70% of the money used to fund the 800+ grants from the Tennessee Arts Commission last year was from the sale of these specialty license plates.

Click here to see available arts tag designs.

To find a list of county clerk offices where you can order your specialty tag, click here.