Opera Program at Kent State Presents "Lovesick Maidens, Their Men, and More," Nov. 17-18

The Kent State University School of Music's Opera Program will present "Lovesick Maidens, Their Men, and More," a medley of opera scenes, Saturday, Nov. 17, and Sunday, Nov. 18, at 7:30 p.m. in Wright-Curtis Theatre on the Kent State University campus.

The show will feature opera scenes in English, written by American and British composers. Jay White, Kent State associate professor of voice, and Marla Berg, Kent State assistant professor of music, will direct the scenes. The production features a company of 24 students, including music performance graduate students Lindsey Sandham Leonard and Darryl Lewis.

"Trouble in Tahiti" by Leonard Bernstein, "The Old Maid and the Thief" by Gian Carlo Menotti, "Susannah" by Carlisle Floyd and "Street Scene" by Kurt Weill with libretto by Langston Hughes are among the many works represented in the performance. The scenes' settings range from a castle to a graduation party and everywhere in between, each portraying the show's themes of love and longing in a unique way.

Music performance graduate student Tatiana Kubatina will accompany the scenes on piano. The evening's final scene, Act II, Scene 1 from the "The Tender Land" by Aaron Copland, will feature choreography by Tracy Pattison, assistant artistic director at Verlezza Dance.

Tickets for the performance are $10 for adults; $8 for seniors and Kent State faculty and staff; $5 for students with valid ID or under 18; and free for all full-time undergraduate Kent State students. For more information, visit kent.edu/music.

Tickets are available weekdays noon to 5 p.m. at the performing arts box office, located in the lobby of the Roe Green Center in the Music and Speech Center at 1325 Theatre Drive on the campus of Kent State. The box office accepts Visa, MasterCard and Discover, in addition to cash and check. For more ticket information, visit the PABO website or call 330-672-ARTS (2787).

Each year, in addition to the fall opera scenes performance, Kent State Opera also presents a full opera production with orchestra in the spring. This year's spring performance will be held March 15-17, 2013, in Ludwig Recital Hall.

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Media Contact:
Effie Tsengas, etsengas@kent.edu, 330-672-8398