Bradley University’s Opera Workshop and the Bradley Symphony Orchestra will present a performance of W. A. Mozart’s one-act operas on Saturday, April 7 at 7:30 p.m. in the Dingeldine Music Center, located at 1417 W. Barker Ave. Admission is $5 for adults and free for students. Tickets will be available at the door the night of the performance.
Written when Mozart was only twelve years old, Bastien and Bastienna is a romantic comedy. It is a pastoral play about a young shepherdess, sung by Jordan Avellino, and her errant boyfriend, sung by soprano Kelsey Chapman in the operatic tradition of the “pants” role. The role of the local soothsayer, Colas, is sung by Brendan Glennon.
The Impresario was written in 1786, just five years before Mozart’s death. It is a parody about the vanity of singers who argue over status and pay. The roles of the two dueling divas in the opera are sung by Aria Cramer and Jordan Avellino. The role of the rich financier will be sung by Randall Sperry. The role of the impresario is played by Joe King. The impresario’s trusted assistant, sung by Cara Heinemann, rounds out the cast.
Both of these one-act operas are written in the tradition of the German singspiel (literally translated as “sing-play”) which incorporates spoken dialogue along with Mozart’s music. Both operas will be sung in English translation.
The Bradley Opera Workshop is under the direction of Dr. Kerry Walters. The Symphony Orchestra is under the direction of Dr. Tim Samanik. For more information about this event, call 309.677.260. To keep up with the production, check out the Bradley Department of Music on Facebook.
