The curtain opens. The music begins. The
performers begin to sing, and for just a moment,
it’s as if one is transported back in time.
The Colorado Mesa University (CMU)
Department of Music held the Opera
Scenes show on Nov. 13 and 14 in the Moss
Performing Arts Center. According to the
CMU Director of Voice Studies Dr. Graham
Anduri, this show was unique in the sense
that each scene was collaboratively directed
by all of the cast members involved. He also
directed the show.
“For me, the significance of having opera
at CMU is to instill a large number of positive
personal qualities in my students. The
importance of the arts in general is to make
us more complete humans [and] to be able to
connect with one another through our shared
humanity,” Anduri said.
The show began with a scene from the Italian opera “La Boheme” called “O soave fanciulla,” and closed with the one-act Italian-American opera “The Old Maid and the Thief.” The entire show featured a total of seven pieces, ranging in language from Italian, French and English. Colorado Mesa student David Silvano, who performed in three of the pieces, said that working with different
languages was difficult, but it was ultimately
an opportunity for growth.
“One of the difficulties with this
production (and many opera productions for
that matter) is the fact that we are required to
sing in foreign languages that we’re not fluent
in ourselves. For me, French is particularly
challenging and posed a welcome opportunity
for me to be able to learn and grow in that
area,” Silvano said.
Courtesy of Graham Anduri
The performance also featured a
number from “La Cenerentola,” the operatic
Cinderella story written by composer
Giocchino Rossini. CMU student Mandolyn
Raper, who played one of the step-sisters, said
that the process of putting together the show
was work intensive and at times stressful,
especially when it came to putting together
sets and other components. However, she
said that the experience was ultimately
successful and rewarding.
“I think my favorite part about singing
opera would have to be the feeling of the
performance. You have to be completely
present for every moment of the show and it
feels so good to be able to share the energy of
the music with the audience and with your
castmates,” Raper said.
CMU student Anna St Peter, who
played Cinderella in the scene from “La
Cenerentola,” said that one of her difficulties
throughout the process of putting together
the show was moving away from her usual
focus of music education and learning how
to sing as an actress.
Courtesy of Graham Anduri
“Opera taught me that I can find a
connection between my character and
the audience if I’m willing to set those
insecurities aside,” St Peter said. “In a way,
I became a teacher on stage. Perhaps, there
would be someone in the audience that could
relate to the characters I could play and find
solace and purpose as those developing
characters find their own solace and purpose
within the production.”
Silvano said that though playing
a role in an opera performance can be
challenging, it’s important to expose
members of society to the beautifully
emotional art that is opera.
“The experience was challenging. Even
though I have been doing opera for a few
years now, this production featured music
that was quite vocally demanding,” Silvano
said. “But it’s also so incredibly fulfilling
to be able to share such beautiful music
with an audience. It brings us closer to our
fellow singers as well as the audience. It’s a
wonderful human connection.”