Southeastern Louisiana University

Southeastern stages operas, American-style

Contact: Christina Chapple

3/3/06

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Captions ...

(1) SOUTHEASTERN’S “LA DIVINA” – Blair Abene of Hammond, right, has the title role in “La Divina,” one of two American chamber operas being staged at the Pottle Music Building Auditorium March 8-11 by the Southeastern Louisiana University Opera/Music Theatre Workshop. Also shown are Betty Turner of Hammond, left, as Cecily, the maid, and Scott McDonough of Slidell, as Matthew, the manager. Curtain is 7:30 p.m. and tickets are available at the door.

(2) THE FACE ON THE BARROOM FLOOR – Brandon Wear of Slidell, Christopher Giffin of Baton Rouge, and Emily Stokes of Covington rehearse a scene from the Southeastern Louisiana University Opera/Music Theatre Workshop’s production of “The Face on the Barroom Floor,” one of two American chamber operas that will share the Pottle Music Building Auditorium stage March 8-11.

HAMMOND – Southeastern Louisiana University’s Opera/Music Theatre Workshop is bringing opera, American-style, to the Pottle Music Building stage March 8-11 with two popular contemporary chamber operas.
       Conducted by workshop director Charles Effler and directed by Larry Gray, “An Evening of American Chamber Opera” will feature “La Divina” and “The Face on the Barroom Floor” at 7:30 p.m. 
       While “opera” for many calls to mind either Wagner’s heavy melodies and helmeted female warriors and/or Pucinni’s wonderful music and doomed young lovers, Effler points out that as beautiful as those composers’ works are, “They don’t represent the whole of the opera repertoire – not by a long shot.”
       “La Divina” and “The Face on the Barroom Floor,” he said, are popular, frequently performed examples of contemporary works written with English librettos by American composers for smaller orchestras and casts. 
       “La Divina,” composed in 1966, has been recently rewritten and re-orchestrated by composer Thomas Pasatieri. Effler said Southeastern’s production marks the world premier of the revised version.
       He said “La Divina,” despite its Italian title, “is a quintessential American work.” The plot hinges on the unraveling of a single joke about a temperamental diva’s relationships with her maid, manager, conductor and adoring fans.
       Blair Abene of Hammond has the title role of the diva, Madame Altina. A sophomore vocal performance and communication major, Abene appeared in the workshop’s fall production of “The Sound of Music.” She also recently captured the Miss Southeastern crown.
       Betty Turner of Hammond, a senior voice major, and Kimberly Hilliard of Covington, a junior majoring in voice and piano, share the role of the maid Cecily. Marshall Dean, a junior voice major from Denham Springs, and Brian Martinez Jr., a junior vocal music education and percussion major from Montz, are double-cast as the young conductor. Scott McDonough of Slidell, a vocal music education major, appears as the manager, Matthew.
       Turner and Dean will perform on Wednesday and Friday evenings, while Hilliard and Martinez take the stage for the Thursday and Saturday productions.
       “The Face on the Barroom Floor” debuted at in the Teller House Bar in Central City, Colo., in 1978. Effler said it is frequently performed in both theaters and in bars, where the audience sits at tables in the middle of the action. 
       Both the setting – the West, past and present – and the music are “unmistakably American,” Effler said, and that the love triangle plot is complete with bar girls, cowboys and six-shooters.
       Cassandra Arnold of Ponchatoula and Emily Stokes of Covington, both junior voice majors, share the role of the bar girl. Arnold will appear in Wednesday/Friday performances and Stokes on Thursday/Saturday.
       Brandon “Bean” Wear of Slidell, a junior vocal education major, appears as Larry/Matt (tourist/artist), and freshman Christopher Giffin of Baton Rouge, also a vocal education major, has the roll of the bartender. 
       Set design is by Steve Schepker, costumes by Richard Walsh, lighting by Ellen Sovkoplas, and choreography by Alison Mariman.
       Tickets, available only at the door, are $12 for adults; and $8 for senior citizens, non-Southeastern students, and Southeastern faculty, staff, alumni. Admission is free for Southeastern students with a valid university I.D.  
       For additional information contact the Department of Music and Dramatic Arts, 985-549-2184