Shepherd University opera workshop presents L'enfant et les sortilèges

ISSUED: 16 September 2011
MEDIA CONTACT: Valerie Owens
(Shepherd University opera workshop presents L'enfant et les sortilèges)

Shepherdstown, WV--The Shepherd University Department of Music will present the Opera Black Box production of Maurice Ravel's L'enfant et les sortilèges (The Child and His Spells) on Friday, September 23 and Saturday, September 24 at 8 p.m. at the Frank Center.

L'enfant et les sortilèges: Fantaisie lyrique en deux parties (The Child and the Spells: A Lyric Fantasy in Two Parts) is a one-act opera, with music by Maurice Ravel set to a libretto by the French novelist Colette. It contains all the classic elements of fairytale. A little boy, shut in his room by his mother, wreaks his fury on his furniture only for it, along with the plants and animals of the garden, to spring to life. This enchanting work has been translated into English and updated for today's modern audiences.

The Shepherd music production is directed by Stephanie Miller, with musical direction by Joseph Regan, both adjunct faculty members at Shepherd University. The role of the child will be played by Arielle Pizana, and the mother, Lauren Frick. Other roles will be played by Christy Boudreaux, Dave Merritt, Ross Tamaccio, Paul Cabell, Michelle Simms, Jaely Chamberlain, Brenna Ross, Ciara Hilliard, VanChessca Allen, Brian James, Ashley Davis, Ross Tamaccio, Christina Schirf, Jessica Adkins, Ciara Hilliard, Johnna Leary, Paul Cabell, and Charlotte Morice.

Also on the program is Gallantry, a one-act comedy written by Douglas Moore, one of America's premiere composers of vocal and operatic work. The libretto is by Arnold Sundgaard, known primarily for his successful opera, The Ballad of Baby Doe. Megan West takes the role of the announcer, Scott Donaldson is Dr. Gregg, Jillian Wiley is Lola Markham, and David Miranda is Donald Hopewell.

Admission and seating for L'enfant et les sortilèges is on a first-come, first-served basis, and advance sales or reservations are not available. The box office will open one hour prior to each performance. General admission is $10, $5 for students 18 and under, and free to Shepherd students with Rambler ID and Friends of Music MAC Cardholders.

For more information call 304-876-5555 or visit www.shepherd.edu/musicweb.

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