This weekend, classic opera gets a modern-day twist in a back-to-back performance by members of the School of Music.
Offering two distinctly different British plays, the School of Music is presenting excerpts from “Dido and Aeneas,” with music by Henry Purcell and libretto by Nahum Tate, and “Trial By Jury,” with music by Arthur Sullivan and book by W.S. Gilbert, the duo’s only true one-act play.
“Opera’s an amazing way to see the theater come alive along with the complement of acting skills as well as singing,” said music performance graduate student Brenda Rabbe.
“Dido and Aeneas,” a drama that premiered in 1689, is the story of the heartbroken Queen Dido, played by music performance graduate student Lara Troyer, who’s afraid of loving after her husband is killed in a tragic accident. Helping Dido through her tragic time is her sister Belinda, played by Rabbe.
“The two have an intimate relationship,” Rabbe said. “Throughout the opera Belinda tries to help Dido find love again.”
“Trial By Jury,” a farce and satire on the legal system that premiered in 1875, is the story of a bride who takes her husband to court for breach of contract. Throughout the opera, each cast and chorus member has an opinion about the trial proceedings.
“‘Trial By Jury’ is a lot like ‘Monty Python’ meets ‘Night Court,’” said music Professor Robert Bracey, the director of opera theater.
Different in both category and time period, the operas are intended to make the audiences laugh and cry, Bracey said. The operas will be performed in English.
The choruses in both operas have different roles. In “Dido and Aeneas,” the chorus’ role is similar to that of a chorus in a Greek tragedy, in which the chorus acts as a group, but with more significance.
“The audience will see the chorus as townspeople, as floating spirits and even as vigorous dancers in one sequence,” said music performance graduate student Gerald Blanchard, the assistant director.
The chorus in “Trial By Jury” plays an integral role and is almost opposite to the chorus in “Dido and Aeneas.”
“The chorus is a huge part of the show. They’re on stage for the whole time and each chorus member plays a different character,” said vocal music sophomore Brandon Straub, a member of both choruses.
Another twist in the School of Music adaptation of “Trial By Jury” are the costumes. While “Dido and Aeneas” uses the more traditional dress of its era, “Trial By Jury” implements a more modern look and dialogue.
“We’re putting on a slightly updated, 21st century version of ‘Trial By Jury,’” Bracey said. “We included men and women in the chorus and changed some of the names of businesses to local business names, but it’s virtually the same.”
“Dido and Aeneas” and “Trial By Jury” run this weekend in the Music Building auditorium. Show times are 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday.
