A Night at the Opera
On Friday night, the Jacobs School of Music will continue the 2006-07 season of its celebrated Opera Theatre with a double bill of comedy.\nFirst on the program is the Italian farce, "Arlecchino." Composed by Ferruccio Busoni, known particularly to pianists for Bach transcriptions and esoteric technique exercises, "Arlecchino" is a one-act comedy that follows the title character's seductive exploits (think, perhaps, "Don Giovanni" without the fire and brimstone).\nGraduate student Courtney Crouse will be performing the role of Columbina, Arlecchino's wife.\n"I am the female version of Arlecchino," said Crouse. "I am married to Arlecchino, but he has left me to pursue other women. I want him back ... but I flirt with most every man I see, especially if they look like they have money."\nCrouse pointed to her opening number as the perfect illustration of Columbina's relationship with her husband.\n"My first moment on stage," she said, "is in an aria in which I beat the crap out of Arlecchino with my purse, only to be drawn back into his clutches." \n"I like the flirtatiousness of Columbina," Crouse said, "and how she is constantly treated badly by men, but she gets up and keeps going. She is sassy."\nSharing the double bill is a two-act work by Jacobs School of Music faculty member Dr. Edwin Penhorwood, "Too Many Sopranos." Based on the assumption there can even be such a thing as too many sopranos, the opera depicts the riotous consequences when a flock of divas arrive at St. Peter's gate at the same time. \n"I'm singing the role of Dame Doleful," said doctoral voice student Jennifer Feinstein. "She's the one that makes you cry... it's very 'Sunset Boulevard.'"\nAlso competing for a place in the heavenly choir is Madame Pompous, sung by master's student Marie Masters.\n"She's very haughty, very uppity," Masters said. "She thinks she's too important for everything."\nBoth performers said they have enjoyed being part of the production.\n"The music is so much fun to sing," Masters said. "You can really let yourself go. And it's great to hear the audience enjoying themselves."\nThe opera takes place at 8 p.m. Feb. 2, 3, 9 and 10 at the Musical Arts Center. Tickets can be purchased at the MAC box office.
Chamber Orchestra
Wednesday will be an evening of seconds. In the second concert of the spring semester, the Chamber Orchestra, under the baton of faculty conductor Uriel Segal, will perform Johannes Brahms' Serenade No. 2 and Ludwig van Beethoven's Second Symphony. \nBoth are interesting performance choices. The Brahms Serenade, for example, does not make any use of the violins, and the symphony, dating back to 1802, was composed just as Beethoven was beginning to acknowledge his deafness.\n"I'm not really familiar with the works," said student violinist Allyson Gray, "so I'm definitely looking forward to it."\nThe concert will be at 8 p.m. in Auer Hall and is free to the public.
Miss America
And last but certainly not least, everyone must be on the lookout for Jacobs School of Music student Betsy Uschkrat tonight as she represents IU and the state of Indiana at the annual Miss America Pageant. Hosted by actor Mario Lopez, the pageant will air live at 8 p.m. on CMT.
