Brotherton Foundation

This is from 2006 and speaks to Bert Harmon's generosity of his time.


Brotherton Foundation Treats RHS Students to Opera

Through a generous grant from the Fred J. Brotherton Charitable Foundation and the development of a new program with the Metropolitan Opera Guild Education Department, Dr. Edward Schmiedecke, District Supervisor of Music and Dance for the Ridgewood Public Schools, took 150 Ridgewood High School students to experience grand opera at its most grand. Besides attending the performance, the students received two extended preparation sessions with Guild Teaching Artist Alan Johnson. On an extensive backstage tour of the MET, they saw dressing rooms, a costume shop, sets and props being built, painted and dressed; the amazing hydraulics of the MET’s five stage sections; and sets being placed for that evening’s performance of “Aida” or “Louisa Miller.” They met famous opera stars rehearsing, managed to get some autographs, and heard Rosemary Summers, music librarian at the MET, talk about her role in the production. This was followed by dinner and orchestra seats for the opera.

The Brotherton Foundation is supported by Dr. William Brotherton, a former student of Ridgewood Schools’ music teacher C. Bertram Harmon for whom the Harmon Music Center at GWMS was named. Mr. Harmon would regularly take groups of students to the Metropolitan Opera. Dr. Brotheron was among a group of students present at the opening performance of the MET in its present home at Lincoln Center. He was so impressed by the experience that he became an avid opera goer and patron and is now, through his generosity, making that same grand experience available to a whole new generation of students.