| Curtain rises, voices raise |  |
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| Written by Bridget Wilson | ||||||||
| Thursday, 23 April 2009 16:30 | ||||||||
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This opera presentation is special because there are two separate operas that have been placed together in one performance due to their similarities. “The vocal arts area has been wanting me to direct Puccini’s brilliant, farcical one-act, ‘Gianni Schicchi’ for some time now. But what to pair it with? “And then it hit me … I remembered that composer Gian Carlo Menotti once said that he thought his one-act opera ‘The Medium’ was a perfect companion to ‘Schicchi,’ as they both deal with the themes of illusion, deceit and death,” Dr. Larry Hensel, the director for the opera, said. “The Medium” is set in Little Italy in New York City during the 1950s. This production tells the story of the drunken Madame Flora, who cons grieving parents into her fake séances. By the end of the opera, her life has been consumed with terror and tragic violence as she is caught between reality and the supernatural world. The more comedic “Gianni Schicchi” will take place following “The Medium.”
“Gianni Schicchi” is also set in 1918 Little Italy and tells the story of family, greed and love. A family’s mourning over the death of the wealthy family patriarch, Buoso, quickly changes to anger when they realize Buoso has given his money to the monastery, rather than to his relatives. Although UW performs operas quite often, there are few other opportunities to view operas in Wyoming. “There is not a professional opera company in Wyoming. We are the only state in the union that does not have one. UW is the cultural leader for opera in this respect,” Hensel said. The show will be held at 7:30 p.m. April 24-25 and 27-29 on the Fine Arts Main Stage. Tickets are $14 for the general public and $7 for students. Purchase tickets by calling the Fine Arts Box Office at (307) 766-6666 or by visiting the box office in person. Email the This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it 
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Beginning tonight, the University of Wyoming Department of Theatre and Dance will present “World of Illusion: An Evening of Opera,” which will feature the operas “The Medium” and “Gianni Schicchi.”