Swan’s Island students traveled to Portland recently to see the Boston Lyric Opera’s performance of “The Daughter of the Regiment” by Gaetano Donizetti.

The opera was fun, the costumes were beautiful and the singing was great, reports one of the students. “After the opera we got to see the cast members up close and got our picture taken with Marie, the star of the show.  The kids thought the opera was `awesome’ and the singing was `neat’ but `a little strange.'”

While in Portland, the group also visited the Children’s Museum, went swimming at the hotel pool and out to an Italian dinner at Romano’s Macaroni Grill. Everyone tried new foods including fried calamari and fried mozzarella.

The kids agreed they could not wait to go again next year.

Siobhan Ryan is an Island Institute Fellow on Swan’s Island.