The Original Light Opera – The world premiere of Oil for the Lamps, a Chanukah Folk Opera, will light up the stage at ArtSpring, Salt Spring Island’s Centre for the Arts, on Tuesday and Wednesday, December 13 and 14.The performance is packed with surprises and not only tells the story of one holiday in one tradition, but relates the universal theme of the importance of Light in times of Darkness in many other cultures. A brand-new production, its lively score and lyrics the work of composer-librettist Joi Freed-Garrod, the opera highlights eight different aspects of the holiday, one for each night.

With Tevye and his family telling the ancient history of Chanukah, the loosely constructed storyline follows the tale of Fiddler on the Roof AFTER the family leaves Anatevka.They take the audience from 1906 to the present, from Russia to North America.The inter-generational cast, drawn from Salt Spring Island’s dynamic arts community, dance, act and sing the emigrant experience as the soft glow of each successive candle builds towards the eighth night.

Freed-Garrod explains that folk opera brings together folk music, which tells stories of the people in song, with the formal, musical-dramatic structure of opera.

Directed by Rachel Jacobson, with costume and stage design by Lynda Jensen, evening performances begin at 7:30, preceded, beginning at 6:30, by Latkah Tasting and Dreydl Spinning in the ArtSpring lobby. At just one hour long, the show is appropriate for everyone including the younger set.There will be a schools-only show on the morning of Dec. 14 as well. Background information is available for parents and educators on request (please e-mail Joi at jfreed@tru.ca mailto:jfreed@tru.ca).

Donations are gratefully accepted to help with production costs. Contributions over $20 will receive a tax receipt. Please make cheques payable to *ArtSpring *and on the reference line write: “attention George Sipos and “Oil for the Lamps “