Mozart, Verdi, Rossini, Bizet, Offenbach, and other classic composers provide the music for tonight's end-of-semester performance by the Tufts Opera Ensemble. The singers rehearsed weekly for two hours learning vocal acting techniques, and are ready to put their hearts into the audience's hands with diva-like performances.
The eight women and two men in the Opera Ensemble are under the artistic direction of Carol Mastrodomenico, a voice teacher in the music department, and Steven Morris, a pianist and accompanist with the department. The effort of these two musicians is evident in every performance this ensemble gives and at the short but intense rehearsals each week.
"We try to include all the aspects of opera in our rehearsals and performances, namely staging, acting, singing, etc. so that old members can brush up on what they know and new members can learn new performance techniques they might not get outside of this class," says Mastrodomenico. "We try to make this as real as possible."
"Carol and Steve are great because they put this whole program together on their own, and give their all during each rehearsal," said senior Tamra Spector, who has sung with the Opera Ensemble throughout her time at Tufts. "Another great thing is that all of our scenes this year are going to be sung in English, so that if you are not a fan of classic opera in it's original language, you can understand our scenes to gain a better perspective and enjoyment of the music."
This semester's scenes vary from romance to childhood folklore, bringing the viewer into turmoil over a love triangle and to tears over a sweet child's slumber song. In Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel, a newcomer and a veteran singer in the Opera Ensemble come together to play the two lost children of the classic fairytale. Senior Tamra Spector adds a lovely touch as Hansel, both teasing and protecting his younger sister, sung by sophomore Merrin Lazyan. Hansel is a typical older brother figure, and eats an entire basket of strawberries before the children realize they are lost and the Sandman, (senior Holly Goyert), beautifully sings them to sleep.
This is not the only scene which brings childlike wonder into the eyes of its players. In Offenbach's The Tales of Hoffman senior Nili Riemer plays a dancer mechanically created by a magician, reminiscent of Stravinky's puppet/ballerina "Petruchka", who mechanically performs a song and small dance to a group of bystanders of all social ranks. She is literally cranked up in the back to sing an aria "The Doll's Song" for a captivated audience, captivated not only with her mechanics, but her gorgeous vocals as well, as Riemer is a double degree student with Tufts and the New England Conservatory.
Another scene to mention is the ridiculous and humorous love triangle in Verdi's Falstaff. Based on a Shakespearean play, Falstaff sends two women identical letters professing his love, and enrages them when they comically read their letters to each other in the park, where "each is the same, excepting the name." Another comical scene is from Mozart's Marriage of Figaro in which Cherubino is prepared to jump out a window in the pursuit of love and happiness.
Love seems to be an ongoing theme with this troupe as the remaining scenes from Smetana's Bartered Bride, Mozart's The Magic Flute, and Flotow's Martha all deal with some derision of love, as do the last two arias.
Spector's performance as Carmen in Bizet's famous aria "Habanera" from Carmen doesn't get much better than a professional performance on the Commons. At the inn of Lillas Pastia in France, she gives a tantalizing performance of the capricious and dangerous nature of love, which can also be seen, along with another Carmen aria at her senior recital in May. One could say this is just a warm up.
A third aria, "Una Voce Poco Fa" from The Barber of Seville will be sung by junior Lauren Phillips, another veteran of this ensemble. Concealed love transforms into romantic fantasy and an extremely large vocal range in this piece of the freedom for love, and in rehearsal, Phillips pulled out all the stops, with jaw dropping accuracy and self-expression.
"Opera Scenes is a great opportunity to gain performance experience with these difficult and challenging, but beautiful scenes, in an educational environment," says sophomore Elizabeth Majors.
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