Set in Venice during the Baroque era, The Orphan Singer tells the story of Caterina, an orphan who dreams of studying music with Maestro Antonio Vivaldi. Devoted street singers visit the young girl, and she works towards earning a solo in Vivaldi's newest oratio.

The musical will feature Vivaldi's vocal and chamber music, such as The Four Seasons and selections from his operas and oratios, performed live by a string quartet and harpsichord. Images of masterpieces by Venetian painters and video-footage of Venice's architecture and canals will also be incorporated into the performance.

The cast includes Alissa Hunnicutt (Caterina), Anne Ricci (Apollonia/Mama), Michael Gabriel Goodfriend (Vivaldi/Papa), and Scott Reiburn (Vitelli/Vincente). David Schechter will direct.

Making Books Sing is the only theatre company of its kind. It is dedicated to combining literacy with the performing arts by creating new plays based on children's books from diverse cultures. Previous productions have included Beautiful Warrior, Bird Woman: The Story of Sacajawea, and A Band of Angels.

Performances will take place Jan 24-28 at Lehman College (250 Park Blvd. West) in the Bronx, Feb 1-4 at Queensborough Performing Arts Center (222-05 56th Avenue) in Bayside Queens, Feb 6-10 at Kingsborough Community College (2001 Oriental Blvd.) in Brooklyn, and Feb 12- 13 at Symphony Space (2537 Broadway) in Manhattan. For reservations, call 212-573-8791 ext. 242.