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Opera Offers More than Arias
By Karen Whichard
Staff Writer
Giant women roar across the stage
singing unbearable arias in Italian.
Eardrum-piercing solos place the crystal
champagne flutes of the senior-citizen
audience in unquestionable peril. In
case you want to know what’s going on,
the impossible-to-read subtitles flash by
at a mile a minute.
This is opera, right?
Not necessarily so. Opera in the
United States and worldwide continual
ly breaks new creative molds, defying
traditional expectations of what opera
should be.
“I think there has been anew invig
oration of the art form. Part of it is the
new, hip group of people, and part is the
reinstatement of standard operas by the
avant-garde,” said UNC music Professor
Anne Mac Neil.
And opera’s audience is not just
wealthy, older cosmopolites any more,
said David Schmidt, a baritone with
Raleigh’s National Opera Company.
“I’ve noticed, attending opera in major
cities, it used to be the older generation
attending,” he said. “I’m seeing a lot
more young folk attending opera, which
I think will sustain it into the 21st centu
ry.”
One project that has the modem
opera community buzzing involves a
proposed special-effects laden staging of
Wagner’s “Ring” cycle by the Los
Angeles Opera.
The production will be designed by
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PHOTO COURTESY OK WESTERN OPERA THEATRE
Western Opera Theatre will bring "Die Fledermaus" to Memorial Hall
Dec. 8 and 9 as part of the Carolina Union's Performing Arts Series.
Industrial Light and Magic, the special
effects company founded by George
Lucas, creator of “Star Wars.”
“I think it can be really good to
expand on the art form. The general
idea remains the same - it is still spec
tacle,” Mac Neil said, speaking of the
project.
The National Opera Company has
been working to bring opera to the citi
zens of North Carolina for 50 years,
since its inception by Capitol
Broadcasting founder AJ. Fletcher.
Fletcher, an opera lover, created the
company with the intention to “get
opera to the people,” said Schmidt.
Fletcher thought there were three
ways to do that, Schmidt said. The first
is to perform everything in English; sec
ond is “to take it on the road, take it on
the road to towns that wouldn’t other
wise have opera companies visiting
them and residing in them.”
Finally, Fletcher wanted to perpetu
ate the health of opera by hiring singers
early in their careers and giving them
professional experience in lead roles
early on.
The company signs members on for
one-year contracts; during that year,
members tour the state and reside
together at the National Opera Home in
Raleigh.
Scmidt said the company usually per
forms pieces from the standard opera
repertoire. It plans, however, to stage a
production of Hickory composer J.
Mark Scearce’s “Kitty Hawk.”
And the state of opera, Scmidt said.
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infused with the
vitality of new
performance
groups.
“There are a
lot more
new young
companies
starting up
in the recent years, and I think
that because of the work of com
panies like this one, and others
similar to it, that opera has
become much more accessible
to people, less frightening,” he
said. “People are starting to /
appreciate the beauty of the
art form.”
The cybercommunity,
utilizing the ever-expand
ing technology of the past
decade, created its own
opera in 1996. Brain
Opera, which moved
into its permanent
home in Vienna,
Austria, this summer, is
the brainchild of Tod Machover and a
team of media specialists at the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
The project strives to allow every
type of music lover to create sounds for
the ever-changing piece. Brain Opera
takes contributions from both live and
cyber audiences, and continuously
transmits their broadcast both online
and in its music hall. The group plans to
release a CD this fall.
'Susannah' Puts Folk Twist on High Art
By David Povill
Staff Writer
Dr. Randolph Umberger wants to
make an opera lover out of you.
Long Leaf Opera’s production of
“Susannah," premiering Sept. 28 at
Durham’s Carolina Theatre, is the per
fect opportunity to do just that, said
Umberger.
An
American
opera set in
Tennessee dur
ing the Great
Depression,
“Susannah"
tells the story
of a woman
caught
between a
preacher’s
earthly desire
and the jealous
revenge of his
congregation.
With a
peculiar com
bination of
revival hymns
and
sujofimh
s /r l Susannah’
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Appalachian square dancing,
“Susannah” is a unique retelling of the
Biblical story of the same name- and a
unique opera experience.
The story addresses a variety of
strong themes, Umberger said. “It’s
about prejudice, jealousy and bigotry.
It’s a very strong story, thematically.”
Susannah is an outcast in her little vil
lage, shunned by the others because of
her alcoholic brother.
When the new preacher unexpected
ly comes into town, Susannah catches
his eye.
The next day, while searching for a
New iSj
York’s
Glimmerglass Opera B
company creatively 1
strays from the pervasive
stereotype depicting
viking-hat-capped actors.
The group boldly defines
the middle ground
between eccentric con
temporary pieces and
traditional forms.
The company, ,
known for its sum- |
mer opera festival J
nea r M
Cooperstown,
N.Y., utilizes JH
simple sets -
Central Park, for example - instead of
the more elaborate, somewhat preten
tious look of traditional opera.
For Triangle residents, seeing quality
opera doesn’t require an expensive trip
to New York. Two companies, Opera
North Carolina and Triangle Opera
Theatre, regularly perform in the area.
Longleaf Opera, anew professional
company now entering its sophomore
stream for performing baptisms, the eld
ers come across Susannah bathing
naked.
The elders’ wives start spreading
rumors, and soon, Susannah is com
pletely ostracized by the village.
But Georgia McEver, who plays the
role of Susannah, said the heroine is far
from a weak character.
“She’s a
sweet, inno
cent, won
der f u 1
young girl
who is
destroyed
by her litde
town and
its petty
jealousies.
“She
doesn’t
understand
why every
thing has
turned on
her, but she
ends up
becoming
hardened.
It’s a very
'Susannah'
Carolina Theatre
In Durham
Tonight
8 p.m.
positive message at the end of the play,”
she said.
Elizabeth Elliott, who was the artistic
director when “Susannah” was per
formed for Opera Fort Collins in
Colorado, also said the story focuses on
Susannah’s strength. “Susannah shows a
lot of courage in the face of intolerance,"
she said.
Elliott said there is a lot of tension
and passion in the story, both romantic
and religious.
Carlisle Floyd, an eminent American
composer and son of a Methodist
preacher, wrote “Susannah” in 1954,
H Just a Slice, Please Loretta Devine
(below) reprises her role as a
no-nonsense campus security guard
in the extra-lame teen slasher flick
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Page 5
season, provides yet another outlet.
Longleaf concentrates primarily on
American and British opera.
In addition, the Carolina Union
Performing Arts Series has brought an
opera to campus each season for five
years. The series contracts Western
Opera Theatre, a professional troupe
from San Francisco.
Lest people think that opera is an art
form for the stuffy upper crust, Donald
during the “witch hunts” led by Senator
Joseph McCarthy.
“Floyd combined the idea of the
witch hunts and the strongly conserva
tive fervor of the time with the beautiful
Appalachian folk ballads and square
dancing that he grew up with,”
Umberger said.
Maestro Benjamin Keaton, co
founder of Long Leaf Opera, is con
ducting the music.
“It’s a really wonderful show," McEver
said. “There are two beautiful arias in it.
It’s a challenge, but it’s fabulous.”
Umberger said the appeal of
“Susannah” is universal, even for those
that don’t consider themselves opera
fans.
When the opera was performed in
'Til the Fat Lady Sings
Good opera doesn't mean making a trip to New York or Paris. The Triangle hosts a number of
opera companies, and travelling operas make regular stops at the area's university campuses
Sept. 28-29, Oct. 1: Long Leaf Opera presents
“Susannah” at the Carolina Theatre in Durham.
(919) 560-3040.
Nov. 1: Duke University presents Renee Fleming,
“America’s Favorite Soprano,” at Page Auditorium on
the Duke campus. , (919) 584-4444.
Nov. 2: Western Opera Theatre and the Carolina Union
Performing Arts series present “Die Fledermaus” at
Memorial Hall. (919) 962-1449.
Dec. 8-9: UNC Opera Workshop presents Puccini’s
“Suar Angelica” and “Gianni Schicchi” at Hill Hall
Auditorium. 962-1039.
''Urban Legends:
Final Cut"
Luse, director of the Carolina Union,
has proof otherwise.
“There is a tremendous interest in
the Triangle, and the opera consistent
ly sells out The crowd is a real mix of
students, faculty and local community
members.”
The Arts & Entertainment Editor
can be reached at artsdesk@unc.edu.
Colorado, a local paper ran a story with
the headline, “You don’t have to like
opera to love ‘Susannah,’” Umberger
said.
“If you have ever been afraid of
opera or thought it wasn’t for you, this is
the time to fall in love with the art
fonn,” she said.
“It’s our most dynamic American
work.”
Performances are Thursday and
Saturday ait 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m.
at the historic Carolina Theatre in
Durham.
For more information, call 968-9595
or e-mail tantarah@aol.com.
The Arts & Entertainment Editor can
be reached at artsdesk@unc.edu.