NUNET CLITANDRE
Special to The Leader
Fredonia Opera Scenes is an annual production produced by the Student Opera Theatre Association. SOTA has been producing Opera Scenes for more than 40 years every Spring semester at Fredonia.
SOTA this year will be presenting a mix of traditional opera and modern musicals: Mozart’s “Le Nozze di Figaro,” Donizetti’s “L’Elisir D’Amore,” Gilbert & Sullivan’s “Trial by Jury” and Maury Yeston’s “Nine.”
“It’s an honor for me to join a long line of previous producers,” says Erik Rasmussen, a senior vocal performance major. Rasmussen has previously performed on stage with Fredonia Opera Scenes and is excited to be a producer for this year’s show.
Producing Opera Scenes is a year-long job. Taking place every Spring, production begins in the Fall with securing directors for each scene, an audition date and location, audition accompanists, securing rights to shows, posting cast lists, distributing scores to cast members, securing scenes accompanists and more.
Production gets no less busy in the Spring. This is when all of the “behind-the-scenes” preparation takes place, including securing sets and props, buying and/or renting costumes, securing rehearsal times and locations for each scene, creating the tech week schedule and leading the transition from rehearsals in Mason Hall to tech week and performances in the Opera House — basically, where all of the separate efforts come together to create the final product.
Directors for Fredonia Opera Scenes this year include voice professor Lynne McMurtry, voice professor and SOTA adviser Robert Strauss, graduate voice student Amy Cohen and theatre professor Paul Mockovak. This team was also responsible for putting together last semester’s successful TADA production of “Godspell.”
For many of the students participating, Fredonia Opera scenes is their first large-scale operatic experience at Fredonia. This experience is described by many students as a major stepping stone in their performance repertoire.
“I’m playing a man in this production,” said Christina Shaw, a sophomore music education major. “I think this has done wonders on improving my acting skills. It’s a role that’s far out of my norm, and it’s a good challenge for me.”
Shaw also explained that expectations for every person that is a part of the production are those of a professional opera company. Performers are expected to know their music as thoroughly as possible by themselves by first rehearsal. This instills the performers with a great sense of responsibility that will undoubtedly benefit and inspire many to continue developing their voices and climb the stepping stones of performing in the annual Hillman Opera and the annual Western New York Chamber Orchestra opera.
Performances will take place at the historic Fredonia Opera House on March 3 at 7 p.m. and March 4 and 5 at 2:00 p.m. Tickets are $5 for students, $8 for senior citizens and $10 for adults.