The Central College Visual and Performing Arts Department will present a concert of opera scenes this weekend.
The program will include scenes from three great operas: “The Magic Flute,” “Dido and Aeneas” and “Pirates of Penzance.”
“Each of the shows has been reimagined in some way,” says Sean Stephenson, lecturer of music at Central and the program’s director. “With ‘The Magic Flute,’ I wrote an original story inspired by the source material that sets the music in a modern, unique way. ‘Dido and Aeneas’ remains unchanged except in its setting, which has been updated to highlight some of the inherent themes from this ancient tale. ‘Pirates of Penzance’ received just a little text updating so that the new setting will make more sense. In each, the quality and spirit of the music is maintained, which should always be the primary vehicle of opera.”
The event will feature the college’s Chamber Singers under the direction of Mark Babcock, M. Joan Kuyper Farver Endowed Chair in Music and professor of music and a 1991 graduate of Central.
Pianist Kris DeWild, a 1990 Central graduate, will accompany the performance with production assistance from Ron Rybkowski, technical director of theatre and lecturer of theatre, and Kate Kanne Smith, assistant professor of theatre.
The performance will begin at 7 p.m. on both Friday, Feb. 25, and Saturday, Feb. 26, on the Hoekstra Family Stage in Douwstra Auditorium on Central’s campus. The event is free and open to the public.
