The title “Opera Workshop” did not entirely fit the theme of this year’s music department performance; hence, the birth of “Opera Meets Broadway.”
For the first time since its inception, Opera Workshop features just as many, if not more, musical theater pieces as opera. Student directors have chosen songs from the musicals “Wicked,” “Chess,” “Les Miserables,” “The Frogs,” “Kismet,” and “Miss Saigon” to go alongside classical opera numbers from “Carmen” and “Aida.” Just to vary the mix further, a few Gilbert and Sullivan pieces will be performed also.
“The musical theater is really fun to watch,” said junior art major Aaron Sandford, a student director of the performance. “It’s nice to have a balance of things that are really beautiful and classical and things that are in English. As much as I love opera, it can be hard to pick up what’s going on with only one scene at a time.”
Along with Sandford, juniors Tory Cooney, Mason Stuard, Casey McKee, Nathaniel Hitchcock and senior David Krueger also are student directors. Although many of the directors have been heavily influenced by musical theater and chose to direct musical numbers, Sandford says there is a special element in opera that keeps him inspired.
“I love the way the music helps to convey the emotion of the story so beautifully,” Sandford said. “That can be true of musical theater as well, but I love classical music and opera is just a really good form of classical music.”
Stuard also said it was important to still incorporate opera numbers in the performance even with the heavy influx of musical theater.
“The opera numbers we are doing are glorious,” Stuard said.
But Stuard said his favorite number he is personally involved in is his duet “You and I” with fellow director Cooney from the musical “Chess.” The musical surrounds the love triangle at an international chess tournament between an American and a Russian player and the woman who manages the former and falls in love with the latter. Taking place at the height of the Cold War, the plot matches the realistic tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union.
“I was introduced to chess as a musical my senior year in high school,” Stuard said. “It’s a wonderfully interesting musical about the tensions during the Cold War. It’s a very sweet sort of unrequited-love song.”
Sandford said he is most looking forward to the audience viewing the show’s finale: “One Day More” from the popular musical “Les Miserables,” in which the entire cast will sing. Sandford sings the part of Marius.
“It’s great to be working with the whole cast at once, and it’s such a wonderful piece,” Sandford said.
Stuard and Cooney sing the part of Monsieur and Madame Thenardier. Hitchcock sings the lead role of Jean Valjean. Junior Rachael Maloley sings the role of Éponine, a character she has always dreamed of playing, in the number.
“She’s such a great character,” she said. “It’s great to finally be able to play that character.”
Maloley is also singing two duets with one of her best friends and fellow chamber choir member junior Emily Whitmer. They are performing “What Is This Feeling?” from the musical “Wicked” and “I Still Believe” from the musical “Miss Saigon.”
Maloley mentioned that she hopes the musical theater numbers will draw more people to the performance.
“I really like musical theater,” Maloley said. “We might get some more people because the general public is more into musical theater these days.”
The directors said the performance might be more accessible to more people because of the musical theater. Also, the performance runs roughly 45 minutes shorter than performances in years past.
“It should be a wonderful performances,” Stuard said.
“Opera Meets Broadway” runs Friday, Feb. 22 and Saturday, Feb. 23 in Macnamara Hall at 7:30 p.m.
rturnbull@hillsdale.edu