The Lethbridge Symphony Orchestra and the University of Lethbridge Opera Workshop are excited about collaborating again — this time to bring back Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s heartfelt comedy, The Marriage of Figaro to the Southminster United Church, Jan. 31 and Feb. 1.
Approximately eight years ago, the symphony and the university collaborated on a scaled down production at the university.
This year’s production, which is the fourth Masters series presentation of the Lethbridge Symphony, has 22 vocalists and 28 musicians performing with a full set and beautiful costumes which put the production in the time of the 1820s world of Jane Austin and the Bronte sisters.
Lethbridge Symphony Orchestra Music Director Glenn Klassen and Dr. Blaine Hendsbee, University of Lethbridge Opera Workshop director are excited about the production.
“Where to begin? It will help you escape from the realities of life. It’s a world we’d all like to be in,” exclaimed Klassen.
“It’s one of Mozart’s greatest operas,” added Hendsbee.
“It’s a beautifully sublime music. It’s Mozart, so you can’t beat it,” he continued.
“ It’s an ideal suite to perform for our students because the characters are all in their early ’20s or late teens,” he continued.
“They sound young and fresh, not like old people running around the stage,”
he said.
The music is fantastic for the orchestra to perform as a well.
“It’s wonderful. It’s great,” Klassen enthused.
They have been working on the production for several months.
They cast it back in May and started rehearsals in November, picking things even more in January.
Caitlin McCaughey and Megan Wettig are excited to be part of another Lethbridge Symphony Orchestra and University of Lethbridge.
They both had parts in Der Fledermaus last year and the Magic Flute before that.
“My character Susanna is marrying Figaro,” said Megan Wittig.
“But everything goes awry,” added Caitlin McCaughey, who plays the countess, married to the count who ends up not being the great guy he appeared to be when she first married him. So she plots to get a little revenge on him with some help from her maid Susanna.
“But everything ends happily ever after,” Wittig continued.
They are enjoying being part of the production.
“ The most fun for me is singing my aria that’s my solo,” McCaughey enthused.
“I get to beat up Figaro, so I’m enjoying the fight scenes, I’ve never done stage fighting before,” added Wettig.
“We’re real spitfire girls,” McCaughey laughed.
“There is a lot of slapping and kicking and hair pulling. But it’s all in good fun. Well, most of it is,” Hendsbee chuckled.
He said it is a challenge for the performers to sing so strongly each night, so they are limiting the show to two performers.
Tickets are going very fast, so University of Lethbridge public relations / communications director Katherine Wasiak advised not to wait until the last minute to get them.
The performances begin at 8 p.m. each night, Jan. 31 and Feb. 1 at Southminster United Church.
Master Series tickets range from $20 - $75, and are available at www.lethbridgesymphony.org or by calling 403.328.6808 between 1- 5 p.m. Flexible subscription packages are still available, and audience members age 15-29 can sign up for the LSO Access Pass and receive further discounts.
— by Richard Amery, L.A. Beat Editor
