By Katelyn S. Irons | Echo
Spats and top hats meet lively tradition with Taylor Opera's latest concert, "A Night of Broadway and Opera." With songs varying from humorous to emotional, this show promises to be an adventure.
"This evening of Broadway and opera scenes is a wonderfully varied program, featuring some of the best-loved music written for the stage," said Conor Angell, assistant professor of music. "A strength of a program like this is that it showcases some of the best excerpts from nearly 20 different shows and moves quickly through them in a way that is engaging to all audiences."
As befits opera, some pieces will be performed in Italian, while one will be performed in French. The rest will be in English. From "South Pacific" to "Spamalot," a variety of entertaining shows will be featured in the performance. Approximately 20 students are involved in the show and have been rehearsing with Angell and professor of music Patricia Robertson since the beginning of the semester.
"I think attendees will appreciate the diverse talents in this large cast: students with impressive vocal ability as well as deep commitment to character portrayal and expressive performance," Angell said. "Our voice program integrates classical voice (opera) with musical theater, and this performance represents the compatibility of those focuses."
Professor of English Joe Ricke will narrate the performance.
Highlights from this opera season include a full production of Menotti's "Amahl and the Night Visitors" with Taylor Sounds on Feb. 6. A combined production with Taylor Theatre fuels the upcoming Irving Berlin medley musical "I Love a Piano," which plays April 24-26 and May 1-3.
To obtain tickets for "A Night of Broadway and Opera," or learn more about other upcoming shows, contact the Taylor Music Department Office at (765) 998-5232 or drop by. Tickets for the show are on sale for $5. The concert will be held Nov. 19 in Rediger Auditorium.
