Southeastern to stage two short operas by Dan Shore
Thursday, February 1, 2018
by: Tonya Lowentritt
HAMMOND – Southeastern Louisiana University’s Opera/Music Theatre Workshop will present
two short operas by American composer Dan Shore. “Works of Mercy” and “Bridegroom”
will both be staged nightly on Feb. 8 and 9 at 7:30 p.m. at the Columbia Theatre for
the Performing Arts in downtown Hammond.
A tragedy, “Works of Mercy” was composed in 2002 while Shore was a graduate student
in composition at the New England Conservatory of Music. Premiered by conservatory
students, the opera is based on the play “Vestire gli ignudi” (Clothing the Naked)
by Luigi Pirandello.
“Pirandello’s premise is that everyone presents a slightly different persona
depending on who they are with at the time, and that it is sometimes difficult to
reconcile all the different versions,” said Director of Opera/Music Theatre Workshop
Chuck Effler. “In ‘Works of Mercy’ each of the five characters are introduced or
are sung about in one way, but that presentation is superseded by another as the opera
progresses. By the end of the opera, the viewer can hardly comprehend that the person
they see is the same person to which they were originally introduced.”
The opera features beautiful but often haunting motives, melodies and harmonies,
Effler said. This production by Opera Workshop is the first complete production of
the opera, aside from its premier in 2002, and the first complete production to use
an orchestra instead of piano.
According to Effler, “The Beautiful Bridegroom” is completely different.
“Based on an 18th-century play by Ludvig Holberg, this farcical Mozart pastiche
tells the story of a widow who has been searching for a young husband, not for her
two marriageable daughters, but for herself,” Effler said.
“Bridegroom” was written for a 2009 chamber opera competition sponsored by the
National Opera Association and received first prize. It has been produced over 25
times since its premiere in Boston, Effler added.
Roles in “The Beautiful Bridegroom” include Caitlyn Rodrigue of Thibodaux as
Terentia, a wealthy widow; Hannah Turner of Central as Perrille, her maid; Hannah
Orgeron of Boutte as Laurentia, the eldest daughter; Vivian McCalman of Mandeville
and Haylee Zeringue of Prairieville as Leonora, the younger daughter; Sara Cage of
Baton Rouge and Christina Duffaut of Slidell as Madame Kirsten, the matchmaker; and
Anne Labranche of Abita Springs and Claire Putnam of Covington as Von Frauenliebe,
the bridegroom.
Primary roles in “Works of Mercy” include Ryan Blanchfield of Baton Rouge as
Ludovico Nota, a well-known writer; Deondra Bell also of Baton Rouge and Mary Vince
of Pearl River as Mrs. Onoria, his landlady; Elizabeth Langley of Mandeville as Ersilia
Drei, the governess; Alfred Harper of Baton Rouge as Alfredo Cantavalle, a journalist;
Brennan Simmons of Walker as Franco Laspiga, a former naval lieutenant; and Wesley
Newton of Bourg as Consul Grotti, the Consul General.
Department of Music and Performing Arts faculty member Charles Effler will serve
as the music director and conductor, while staff member Benjamin Norman will design
the lighting. Department of Visual Arts + Design faculty member Emily Billington is
responsible for costume design, and guest stage director Rachel M. Harris celebrates
her 10th year of directing operas at Southeastern with these productions.
Tickets are available at the Columbia Theatre box office, located at 220 E. Thomas
Street in downtown Hammond. The box office hours are Monday through Friday, 11 a.m.
to 4 p.m. and one hour prior to curtain time. Ticket prices are $21 for adults; $16
for seniors, Southeastern faculty and staff, and non-Southeastern students; and $8
for children 12 and younger. Southeastern students are admitted free of charge with
their university ID. For ticket information, contact the box office at 985-543-4371.
