Author: Alan Held

Wichita State legend and College of Fine Arts Hall of Fame teacher, director and artist, Dr. George Gibson, will return to give three days of coaching sessions and masterclasses from April 15 to April 17.

A public masterclass will be given from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Wednesday, April 17 in room C-107 Duerksen Fine Arts Center. Dr. Gibson taught voice and was the director of opera for over 30 years (retiring in 1997) at Wichita State and fostered the careers of many students including Samuel Ramey, Joyce DiDonato, Alan Held, Barbara Honn, Catherine Cook and many others. There is no admission charge for the masterclass on April 17.

The Wichita State Opera Theater will present Mozart’s comic masterpiece, “Le Nozze di Figaro” (The Marriage of Figaro) at 7:30 p.m. April 12 and 3 p.m. April 14 in Duerksen Fine Arts Center.

The production is directed by WSU Opera Theater Director Alan Held. The WSU Orchestra will be conducted by Dr. Mark Laycock. Long recognized as one of the pillars of operatic repertoire, the story features some of Mozart’s most famous arias and ensembles as it follows the troubles and antics of Figaro and his young bride, Susanna, on their wedding day.

The Wichita State Opera Theater, under the direction of Professor Alan Held, will present its annual “Scenes and Songs” performance at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 9 in Wiedemann Hall.

The performance is a yearly campus favorite and will feature the opera students in various scenes from Weill’s “Street Scene,” Donizetti’s “Don Pasquale” and J. Strauss’s “Die Fledermaus.” Tickets are available by calling the WSU Fine Arts Box Office at 316-978-3233 or by visiting the Ticket Office website.

Wichita State University Opera Theater will present two performances of Italian opera entitled “Suor Angelica and Friends” at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 10 and at 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 12 in Wiedemann Hall.

Highlights from multiple operas will be heard including selections from “Il Trovatore,” “Madama Butterfly,” “Rigoletto” and “Le Nozze di Figaro” followed by a complete performance of Puccini’s most beloved one-act opera, “Suor Angelica.” Featured in the performance will be WSU faculty members, Dr. Hilary Grace Taylor and Dr. Warren Kim.

WSU Opera Theater is under the direction of Alan Held, professor of voice and director of opera studies.

WSU students can request their student ticket at no additional charge in advance by going to the Fine Arts Box Office in Duerksen Fine Arts Center during operating hours. Students must show their Shocker ID.

Tickets can be purchased online through the Fine Arts Box Office or by phone at 316-978-3233.

The Wichita State Opera Theatre, under the direction of Alan Held, professor of voice and director of opera studies, will present its final production of the academic year, “Handelmania,” at 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 31 and 3 p.m. Sunday, April 2 in the Miller Concert Hall of the Duerksen Fine Arts Center.

The performances will be accompanied by the WSU Orchestra under the direction of Dr. Mark Laycock, professor and director of orchestra. The performances are presented in honor of Dr. Pina Mozzani, who will be retiring after 18 years of teaching in the School of Music. A reception for Mozzani will be held following the April 2 performance.

“Handelmania” is a unique presentation of George Frideric Handel’s opera, “Acis and Galatea.” A new and entertaining concept has been developed for these performances that will make the story come alive in a contemporary manner. The short opera, with added arias, was first performed in 1718, but it is rarely performed in its entirety.

Tickets for the performances may be purchased at the Duerksen Fine Arts Box Office, by visiting the box office website or by calling 316-978-3233.

Wichita State’s Opera Theater, under the direction of Alan Held, professor of voice and director of opera studies, will present its annual performance of “Scenes and Songs” from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 10 in Wiedemann Hall. Bridget Hille, pianist, will provide musical assistance.

The program, which serves as an introduction to new opera goers and an evening of variety for seasoned veterans, provides performance opportunities for students of all levels of study.

Scenes and arias will be presented from “Rusalka,” “Die Zauberflöte,” “Lucia di Lammermoor,” “Hansel and Gretel,” “Manon,” “The Mother of us All,” “Peter Grimes,” “Die Walküre” and “La Clemenza di Tito.”

Tickets are available at the College of Fine Arts Box Office or by calling 316-978-3233. Students receive one ticket at no additional charge with their Shocker ID.

The Wichita State University Opera Theater and the Wichita Grand Opera will present two collaborative performances of Carlysle Floyd’s Great American Opera “Susannah.” Performances will be 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 11, and 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 13 in Miller Concert Hall on the Wichita State University campus.

The performance will feature student performers and noted professionals, including current WSU Opera Theatre director, internationally renowned bass-baritone and WSU alum Alan Held as the Reverend Olin Blitch. Also appearing will be WSU alum Samuel Ramey in the role of Elder McLean. The production will be staged-directed by former WSU Opera Theatre director Marie King.

The story of “Susannah”  appears in the Deuterocanonical Book of Daniel. Young, pretty, and innocent Susannah is a target of the vicious gossip of the women of the local elders. In 1955, the late American composer Carlisle Floyd embellished the story into an opera set in rural New Hope Valley, Tennessee.

Tickets are available by visiting the link below or by calling 316-978-3233. Students can receive one free ticket with their Shocker ID.  Other discounts apply.

Wichita State University Opera Theater presents the Kansas premiere of “The Scarlet Letter” by Lori Laitman at 7:30 p.m. April 8-9 at the Duerksen Fine Arts Center.

Based on the great Nathaniel Hawthorne novel, the important new work follows the shame and pride of Hester Prynne, her condemnation by the Puritan community, and her forbidden love with the Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale. The fully staged performance is directed by Opera Theater Director Alan Held. The performances will be conducted by Dr. Mark Laycock with the WSU Symphony Orchestra.

Tickets are available at the College of Fine Arts Box Office or by calling 316-978-3233. WSU students receive one free tickets with their Shocker ID. Other discounts apply.

Wichita State’s Opera Theater, under the direction of Alan Held, College of Fine Arts director of opera studies, will present its annual Opera Scenes program at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 11 and at 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 13 at Wiedemann Hall. This annual, one-hour program features WSU students in various scenes from the operatic canon. Selections will be heard from “Lucia di Lammermoor,” “La Boheme,” “Das Rheingold,” “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” “Don Carlo,” “Le Nozze di Figaro,” “Carmen,” “Der Rosenkavalier,” “Susannah” and “Orpheus in the Underworld.”

For tickets or discounted tickets, contact the WSU College of Fine Arts Box Office at at 316-978-3233 or visit the online tick office.

Wichita State University Opera Theater, under the direction of Alan Held, will present Mozart’s “La Finta Giardiniera” in a concert format at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 21 and Oct. 23 in the Miller Concert Hall of the Duerksen Fine Arts Center. The performances will be conducted by Dr. Timothy Shade, director of the School of Music with the WSU Wind Ensemble.

One of the early operas of Mozart, the piece was written when the great composer was just 18 years old. The opera foreshadows much of Mozart’s greatest writing yet to come in “Le Nozze di Figaro” and “Cosi fan Tutte.”  The concerts will be sung in Italian with English supertitles. Tickets may be obtained online or by calling (316) 978-3233.