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Congress Middle School eighth-grader learns more than just music through work with Lyric Opera

Cecelia Peak has lived through a lot of tragedy in her 14 years of life, and she wouldn’t want it any other way.

Peak is an eighth-grader at Congress Middle School. She’s also become a regular member of the Lyric Opera, performing in several productions over the last several years, including classic tragedies like this season’s “Tosca.”

Opera has become a kind of alternative school for Peak, a place where she learns soft skills like fidelity, determination and focus.

“It has helped me become a better person,” Peak said. “I’ve learned a lot about responsibility.”

Peak’s path to the stage began in 2002 when she first attended the Lyric Opera’s annual children’s summer camp.

The camp was started about 18 years ago. It was the brainchild of Director of Education Paula Winans, who wanted to provide a more comprehensive opera experience for young people than the short classes done at public schools around the region.

Over two weeks in late July and early August, Lyric Opera campers get to participate in virtually every performance and technical facet of a production, Winans said.

Though designed for children ages 10 to 18, the camp will accept younger people if they are exceptionally interested in performing arts. That’s why the then 7-year-old Cecelia Peak was accepted.

“She’s always had a sweet little voice,” said Amy Peak, Cecelia’s mother and the Lyric Opera’s comptroller.

Cecelia Peak found that she loved the art, work and camaraderie of opera. She stuck with it and by third grade started performing as a member of the children’s chorus in main stage productions.

Getting to work with top-flight singers from places like the New York Metropolitan Opera has been particularly fun, Peak said. She’s found that the stereotype of the moody opera star is not generally true.

“Working with professional opera singers and being in such a big work of art like that is really inspiring,” she said. “Some of them do have kind of an attitude, but most of them are down to earth, and they like to give advice.”

Peak has learned to sing in Czech, French, German and Italian, her favorite language for opera. She also favors “The Magic Flute” and cites Mozart as her preferred composer.

It’s hard to argue about the educational and social value of opera, according to Amy Peak.

“Her voice has matured, but, as an individual, she’s matured along with it,” Peak said of her daughter.

Cecelia Peak is an example of the value of exposing children to great art, Winans said.

“I really believe that you learn so much about yourself through opera,” she said. “The stories are about being human — human nobility and human foibles.”

Staff writer Ray Weikal can be reached at 389-6637 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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