Laugh Out Loud Over Heartfelt Die Fledermaus

Published: February 23, 2017 | Author: Ashley Pollock | Read Time: 3 minutes

Southern Utah University’s departments of Music and Theatre Arts & Dance are teaming up to create a hilarious production of Die Fledermaus. Performances will be held on March 2, 3, 4, and 6 at 7:30 p.m. in the Randall L. Jones Theatre. Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for Alumni with their card, and $7 for youth. Southern Utah University faculty, staff, and students are free with a valid ID card. Faculty and staff IDs are allowed one guest. Tickets are available at the door or at suu.edu/pva.

Henry Ballesteros, Assistant Director, said, "This production is filled with laughter and heart. Die Fledermaus has some of the most amazing music that will remind you of a simple era when all that mattered was love and having a good time."

Die Fledermaus is a comedy of mistaken identities, practical jokes, and a masquerade ball all taking place on New Year’s Eve. Throughout the opera, the audience will see the true personality of each character. The cast is performing the English rendition of Die Fledermaus to assist the audience in understanding the story and to keep up with all of the twists and turns.  

Claire Robinson, a sophomore vocal performance major, said, “Preparing for this show has been challenging in its' own ways. Johann Strauss, the composer of Die Fledermaus, has written some beautiful music in the opera. However, it can be very difficult. As a young singer I have had to spend countless hours practicing. The translation has proven to be very interesting as well. The original opera is in German. There are pieces of the opera we discussed in order to better understand what we were singing. It's very important to understand what we, the performers, are talking about so the audience can follow along.”

Keaton Delmar Johns, a Las Vegas native and junior Bachelor of Fine Arts candidate majoring in Musical Theatre, said, “My favorite part of the rehearsal process has been working with our director, Peter Sham, and our music director, Carol Ann Modesitt. I've worked with Sham before, and he has a way of making the rehearsal room a place for play while still maintaining a professional environment. I am grateful to Modesitt for helping me use good technique and finding my ‘opera’ sound. This is my first time doing an opera, so I was very intimidated going into vocal rehearsals. She knows exactly how to adjust someone's vocals and produce the correct sound. She is such a master at her craft.”

Peter Sham, director of Die Fledermaus, said, “One of the highlights for me has been working with gifted choreographer and colleague, Megan Brunsvold. She has found a wonderful way to highlight the talents of both music and theatre majors and create a space which is engaging, dynamic and fun.”

Brandon Grayson, a junior at SUU majoring in Musical Theatre Composition and Performance, said, “The community should come to this opera because it is an experience that doesn't happen very often in southern Utah. We are putting on a grand operetta on a grand scale, with a big, live orchestra, lavish sets and costumes, lots of choreography and funny moments; it's going to be a very special experience that should not be missed.”

Join in the laughter with us at Die Fledermaus. For more information, please visit www.suu.edu/pva. 

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