Indiana State University Newsroom

The Indiana State University Lyric Theater Workshop, formerly known as the Opera and Music Theater Workshop, will present an evening of opera scenes at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, March 24 and Sunday, March 26 in the recital hall of the Landini Center for Performing and Fine Arts.

The select Lyric Theater Workshop features auditioned singer-actors from both the Indiana State School of Music and the theater department. The performances are free and open to the public and suitable for all ages.

"This will be an entertaining evening of appealing, memorable music with plenty of comedy, a few more serious short scenes and many beautiful voices," said Colleen Davis, stage-director for the Lyric Theater Workshop. Music director Mark Carlisle will conduct the performances, and David Gibbs will be the accompanying pianist.

Senior tenor Logan Williams will portray Tamino in the opening scene from Mozart's "The Magic Flute," along with sopranos Katie Kendall and graduate student Hye Jin Lim of Korea and junior mezzo-soprano Laura Fultz Sprouls. Graduate soprano Jing Cai of China will be showcased as Gianetta in a segment from Donizetti's "L'Elisir d'amore," sharing the stage with senior soprano Megan Berube as Adina and baritone Will Akins as Doctor Dulcamara.

The "Children's Dance" scene from Humperdinck's "Hansel and Gretel" will feature sophomores Allison Barker as Gretel and Christiana Wittenmyer as Hansel, and the beloved "Children's Prayer" will add sophomore mezzo-soprano Isabella Collins as Hansel and Hye Jin Lim as The Sandman.

The opening scenes from "Cenerentola," Rossini's setting of the Cinderella story, will spotlight mezzo-soprano Jamee Nielsen as Cinderella, soprano Jordan Reger as older stepsister Clotilde and baritone James O'Sullivan in the disguised beggar/godfather role of Alidoro, with the company men as the Prince's Courtiers.

Brazilian graduate soprano Isis Jarnicki de Carvalho will portray Nedda in the famed ballatella scene from Leoncavallo's "I Pagliacci," "Stridono lassu," and Jarnicki de Carvalho will be joined by bass-baritone Zene Colson as Don Alfonso and Megan Berube as Fiordiligo in the favorite trio "Soave sia il vento" from Mozart's "Cosi fan tutte."

To close the hour of opera, the entire company of singers will join onstage for the Second Act Finale from Johann Strauss' "Die Fledermaus," featuring baritone Jacob Glidden in the role of Gabriel Eisenstein.

The Lyric Theater Workshop will also perform selected opera scenes with the Indiana State Symphony Orchestra in April, and a production of varied music theater scenes later this spring.

For more information, call 812-237-2770.