The show opens on a 19th-century village ravaged by war. Piles of furniture, chairs, benches and bed frames sit at the center of the stage. The men of the town are preparing to face off against French troops, and the women are praying for their safety.
This sets the stage for the story of Marie, the title character in “The Daughter of the Regiment,” a French opera coming to the Musical Arts Center this month. The first show will take place at 7:30 p.m. Friday.
Zachary Coates, one of two actors portraying Sgt. Sulpice, the leader of the French forces, said the comedic opera contrasts with what some may assume about this type of production.
“It’s nice to work on a comedy that allows itself to be as silly as this one is,” Coates said. “A lot of times, people think of opera and think of this sort of stuffy, official, high-class music, which in a certain sense all of this is, but it has more of a vibrancy and life to it than a lot of pieces.”
As the story progresses, a noblewoman, the Marquise of Birkenfeld, stops off in the village during the battle and meets Sulpice. Sulpice is then revealed to be one of a group of caretakers to a young woman, Marie, who was orphaned on the battlefield years earlier and adopted by the army.
The story then follows Marie as she falls in love with a man, Tonio, who is not a member of the regiment she calls home. Tonio enlists in the forces as a way to be accepted by Marie’s many “fathers,” the most vocal being Sulpice.
“He’s an odd character because when you juxtapose his actual situation to the way he behaves, it’s a very odd mix,” Coates said. “He’s a professional soldier who, on a daily basis, is in life or death situations and is seeing friends die and all these things happening all around him, and yet he’s the most ridiculous person on stage and is always making jokes about his mustache.”
Nicholas Nesbitt, one of the actors playing the role of Tonio, said he spent most of his summer preparing for this production, which he said is one of the most vocally challenging and rewarding projects he has taken on.
“I’ve spent hundreds of hours working on it, learning the French, coaching the diction, getting the role itself into my body, and that’s true for everybody,” Nesbitt said. “There are a lot of challenging moments in this opera for every singer. In terms of the production, it’s been great.”
Stage Director Michael Shell said the enthusiasm of the students here is one of many reasons he enjoys directing pieces at IU.
“To see these students grow and take what we have done in rehearsal and bring it to life is the ultimate reward,” Shell said. “Each one of them has had something that they have been tying to accomplish. For some, they have never done a huge role like the one they are playing, so stamina and how to pace yourself is part of the challenge. For all of them, working with dialogue has been a wonderful growing experience.”
The conflicts do not end with the lovers, as the storyline is further complicated when the marquise tells Sulpice she will be taking Marie, revealed to be her niece, out of the regiment and into life as a noble.
Gretchen Krupp, one of the actresses portraying the marquise, said the role is one that allows for contemplation of character.
“It really challenges you to explore your character not only through music but through dialogue and just playing out the cultural differences between characters,” Krupp said. “I’ve enjoyed exploring the different facets of my character and why she is the way she is, how she kind of treats Marie the way she does and what she wants from Marie.”
Nesbitt said some of the highlights of the show are the relatable characteristics of the protagonists and the sophisticated set, which includes a rotating turntable on center stage.
“It’s a fun show. There’s a lot of cool stuff going on onstage,” Nesbitt said. “It’s like ‘Les Mis’ on steroids. This would be a good first opera for people. It’s exciting, it’s funny, it’s definitely over-the-top in a good way, and I think the story is something we can all sort of connect with.”
Coates said both those familiar and new to the genre would be able to appreciate the same elements in “The Daughter of the Regiment.”
“If you’re a person who enjoys opera or has enjoyed opera in the past, then of course you should see the show because it’s a great piece and it’s done in an amazing theater with wonderful singers,” Coates said. “If you’re someone who has never seen opera or isn’t a big fan of opera, I think it still is something you would enjoy because it is funny and something sort of on the lighter side.”
