
The story of Anne Frank is very compelling because her diary is an intimate account of a girl's life and everyday thoughts during the Holocaust. Anne Frank is a relatable personality for many because she shares her feelings of vulnerability not only as someone in hiding from the Nazis, but also someone dealing with a teenager's life changes and family conflicts under extraordinary circumstances yet her generosity of spirit still shines through.
This truly is a great opportunity for students. Many schools bring students to see matinees of performances as a cultural experience and Anne Frank is about a child, which can bridge the gap between 'high culture' and kids. As someone that went to a public (government) school outside of New York City, I went to see La Boheme at the Metropolitan Opera and several other matinee performances at Lincoln Center that are considered cornerstones of Western culture. I may not have been able to fully appreciate them at a young age, but many of my classmates are now successfully working in the performing arts and I have a level of cultural literacy that enriches my experiences in watching everyday movies and television. Everyone learned is that opera does not need to be an intimidating experience and the etiquette is pretty simple. Not only is this a cultural opportunity, it's a photo-op for school brochures and may be a cure for the post-Songkran blues.
We took some screenshots of a few expat gripes (as some expats are wont to gripe) about the idea of the performance and were going to refute them, but the fact that the first two shows have sold out quickly already proves its value before the curtain is even raised. For kids, this story along with Life is Beautiful are our top picks because they present history as someone's story that was affected by history. Modern Historians value primary sources and narratives of everyday people and many in Education also believe that History is best taught through the lives of 'average' people instead of statistics, a grand tome of famous people and war battles.
If you're interested in bringing a class to the performance, we recommend a little bit of simple preparation. This opera is in English, so English speakers will require only some familiarity with the story. Here is a teacher's guide to opera performances for students new to opera that will help with understanding the best ways to enjoy the show with students interests in mind: http://www.skylightmusictheatre.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Audience-ettiquette-guide-2011_2012.pdf
Please see Siam Opera's page for more details and for tickets.