Mozart’s ‘Magic Flute’ reveals cast’s talent

From Feb. 17-19, OCU Opera and Musical Theatre performed their first spring mainstage opera, “The Magic Flute” directed by Cynthia Stokes.

The opera is by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart from a libretto, a book of texts to be sung for a performance, by Emanuel Schikaneder. The show premiered on Sept. 30, 1791, just two months before Mozart died.

The opera follows Tamino, a prince, who is rescued from a monster by three unknown women. The women show Tamino the daughter of the Queen of the Night, Pamina, who he instantly falls in love with. They explain that Pamina has been captured by Sarastro and Tamino goes to rescue her with the help of a magic flute, magic bells, and Papageno, the reluctantly involved bird catcher.

Pamina was played by sophomore musical theatre and vocal performance double major, Audrey Logan, who explained that “Pamina is the love interest of the protagonist, Prince Tamino.”

She went on to explain Pamina’s importance to the plot, saying that “with the help of Papageno, the bird catcher, Pamina is able to escape and meet Tamino, only to have him torn away from her. In order to be worthy of Pamina’s love, Tamino must undergo trials before the two can finally be together.”

“Tamino takes a vow of silence, but can’t tell Pamina it’s part of his trial. She becomes frantic that he no longer loves her and tries to end her life. Tamino’s vow of silence ends just in time to admit his true feelings for Pamina before it’s too late. And of course, the two live happily ever after,” Logan said.

Papagena, Papageno’s love interest, was played by freshman music theatre major, Lizzy Perrone, who described her as, “a sweet, spunky, level-headed, funny, young lady who desires true love and companionship.”

Perrone went on to say that “she is the perfect counter to Papageno in the way that she shares his humor and good nature, but she also adds balance to Papageno’s over-the-top, extroverted personality.

Perrone explained that the cast began rehearsals Jan. 12, meaning they only had just over a month to rehearse.

Perrone also explained that some of the biggest challenges she faced were the difficulty of the music, a want to perform well, and a mental block from a lack of mainstage experience as a freshman, but that, “the cast was extremely encouraging, and I had the coolest double, Camryn Creech, who helped me so much throughout the process,” she said.

Audrey Logan said that “the hardest part about Pamina was definitely the German. But it takes a village to put on a production of this caliber, and I truly experienced that on a personal level. With the help of some incredible professors, I was able to learn and perform the German in a little under two months!”

Logan said that her favorite part of the opera was “the suicide quartet between Pamina and the three spirits.”

“That quartet was truly an emotional roller coaster, but I loved every second of it- especially the part when the spirits stop me from using the knife and inform me that Tamino does love me,” she said.

Lizzy Perrone said that her favorite part of the show was, “when Sarastro says ‘He [Monostatos] is more than a prince. He is a human being!” She went on to explain that “it might have to do with the fact that for some reason in rehearsals, that was a line that the cast continuously laughed at, so it may be because of the memory connected to it.”

Perrone said that her “moment of ‘Wow, OK, this is going to be really good’ was the first time I was called to a rehearsal with the full cast, and we ran through Act II.”

She explained that “since Papagena only really ever interacts with

Papageno and for such a limited time, I was called to very few rehearsals at the beginning and only ones that were with the actors playing Papageno.

“So, this rehearsal was really my first pieced together introduction to the cast and how the story of ‘The Magic Flute’ was being brought to live by our wonderful director, Cynthia Stokes,” she said.

Perrone said, “I had also never seen a majority of the cast perform, so it was super cool being introduced to a lot of the cast’s talent for the first time, and I mean obviously we’re at OCU, so everyone was impressive, but it was just that extra little thing of ‘Wow, I’m working with such a talented group of people who are just as passionate about this as I am,” she said.

Perrone explained that “I think that idea of all of us sharing the same passion of performing and storytelling is what ultimately brought the whole thing together.”

Continued at MEDIAOCU.COM

On Feb. 28, the four OCU choirs combined for their Winter Choral Concert, led by Dr. Randi Von Ellefson and Professor Tony Gonzalez with collaborative artists John L. Edwards, Jean Shackleton, and Donald Tullius.

The University Chorale started the concert with, “Even When He is Silent” by Kim Andre Arnesen, directed by student conductor Raeslyn Miller. They followed with the song, “I am Loved” by Christopher Harris, directed by student conductor Maddie Ferrara.

The University Chorale ended their portion of the concert with, “She Walks in Beauty” by Kevin Memley, directed by Professor Gonzalez.

The Ad Astra choir followed, beginning their section of the concert with, “God will Give Orders/Sweet Child” by Sarah Quartel. The song was directed by Dr. Ellefson and featured Christopher Delgado on cello, Nathan Rainey on djembe, and soloists Olivia Davis-Eagan, Asia Fleetwood, Catherine Schenk, Madi Spear, and Amelia Unger.

The choir continued with the song, “O Virtus Sapientiae” by Hildegard von Bingen.

The piece was arranged by Katerina Gimson and directed by Dr. Ellefson, and featured Alyssa Crowly, Meredith Dorbin, Katie Garthe, and Lianna Paglia as soloists.

The Ad Astra choir finished their piece of the concert with the song, “Whether the Weather” by Catherine Dalton, directed by Dr. Ellefson.

The University Singers were next up with, “My Flight for Heaven” by Blake Henson, directed by Professor Gonzalez.

Their second piece was, “I Carry Your Heart” by Connor Koppin, directed by student conductor Alexis Crist.

The University Singers ended their part of the concert with the piece, “The Music of Stillness” by Elaine Hagenberg, directed by Professor Gonzalez.

The Chamber Choir rounded out the concert, beginning with the piece “Ubi Caritas” by Ola Gjeilo, directed by Dr. Ellefson. Their next song was, “Sure on This Shining Night” by Morten Lauridsen, directed by graduate conducting associate Sam Brady.

The Chamber Choir ended the concert with the piece, “Chantez á Dieu (Psalm 96)” by Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck, directed by Dr. Ellefson.