Fletcher Opera Institute presents French farce, The Italian Straw Hat
An opera based on a play that became one of the funniest silent films ever made, "The Italian Straw Hat" will be presented by the at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 5 and Tuesday, Feb. 9 and at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 7 at the Stevens Center, 405 West Fourth St. Tickets are $25 regular and $20 students and are available at uncsa.edu/performances, or by calling the box office at 336-721-1945.
Italian composer Nino Rota, who won an Academy Award for best film score in 1974 for "The Godfather, Part II," wrote the music for Eugene Labiche鈥檚 sparkling farce filled with surprises, zany characters and romance. The 1927 silent film, "An Italian Straw Hat" by Ren茅 Clair, was enthusiastically received and remains on common lists of funniest films.
Stage Director Steven LaCosse said the French farce is a classic comedy. 鈥淔arce is to France what Shakespeare is to England,鈥 he said.
Set in Paris in 1913, the opera plot revolves around a bridegroom, Fadinard (performed by Simon Petersson, tenor), and his frantic wedding preparations. Racing around in his horse-drawn carriage, he snags a tree limb with his whip. While Fadinard retrieves the whip, his horse snacks on a lady鈥檚 straw hat, left hanging on a bush while its owner, Anaide (performed by Jenny Schuler, soprano), engages in a tryst with her lover. Philandering Anaide dare not tell her brutally jealous husband, who bought the hat made in Florence, Italy. Anaide and her lover, Emilio (performed by Cody Mont谩, baritone), confront Fadinard and demand that the hat be replaced.
What follows is an early version of the modern-day road trip, with Fadinard chasing through Paris in search of an exclusive straw hat, closely followed by his bride, Elena (performed by Megan Cleaveland, soprano); her suspicious and quick-tempered father, Nonancourt (performed by undergraduate voice student Patrick Scully, bass); and a host of bewildered and increasingly besotted wedding guests.
鈥淚t鈥檚 an amusing story, and a ridiculous situation to begin with,鈥 LaCosse said. 鈥淭hey get into one crazy predicament after another. It鈥檚 akin to Keystone Cops, or a Carol Burnett comedy piece.鈥
"The Italian Straw Hat" is the 抖阴短视频 debut for this year鈥檚 Fletcher Opera Fellows: Petersson; Schuler; Mont谩; Cleaveland; Matthew Arnold, baritone, who plays Elena鈥檚 uncle; and Lindsay Mecher, mezzo-soprano, who plays a baronessa rumored to possess a duplicate of the damaged hat.
鈥淔letcher Opera Institute is proud to continue its tradition of attracting some of the world鈥檚 most talented graduate students in opera,鈥 said Nicholas Muni, artistic director of the institute. 鈥淟ocal audiences are in for a treat with "The Italian Straw Hat" featuring this year鈥檚 exceptional Fellows.鈥
The opera will be sung in Italian with English supertitles. Christopher James Lees is conductor, with musical preparation by Angela Vanstory Ward.
LaCosse, who first saw the opera performed in English when he was in college, said it鈥檚 a perfect introduction for those who have never been to an opera. 鈥淒on鈥檛 be intimidated because it is sung in Italian. You have the words provided, and the tunes are lovely. You already know Rota鈥檚 music from his score for 'The Godfather.' It鈥檚 theatre, basically, with music and dance.鈥
More than 350 students are involved with the production, which includes a cast of more than 40 singers; a small orchestra; and all of the student designers, technicians and stage crew. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 a huge chunk of our student body,鈥 LaCosse said. 鈥淵ou are getting to see a lot of top quality student talent.鈥
Jan. 27, 2016