麻豆影院

Eklund Opera鈥檚 performance of Gioachino Rossini鈥檚 鈥溾�� (鈥淐inderella鈥�) this weekend will feature some familiar faces and some new ones, both onstage and behind the scenes. Renowned stage director听Bill Fabris听will direct, Assistant Professor of Voice听Matthew Chellis听will play 鈥淒on Ramiro鈥� on Saturday and College of Music alum听听(BM 鈥�94, MM 鈥�96, DMA 鈥�98) will play 鈥淎lidoro鈥� on Friday and Sunday.

Fabris has been directing operas since 1987. Based in New York, he spends most of the year on the road. He last did 鈥淟a Cenerentola鈥� 10 years ago in San Antonio, but he estimates he鈥檚 done about 100 other productions since then. 鈥淭o refamiliarize myself with 鈥楲a Cenerentola,鈥� I popped in the CD, and watched the score and referred to my notes as I listened. I found a lot of things I wanted to change and improve.鈥�

He says he鈥檚 impressed by the level of preparation of the show鈥檚 three casts. 鈥淭he students know what they鈥檙e singing and what they were singing about,鈥� Fabris explains.

It was Chellis, who joined the College of Music faculty in 2014, who recommended Fabris while Eklund Opera Program Director Leigh Holman is on family leave. 鈥淲e鈥檝e always worked really well together, and he鈥檚 at the top of my list of people who are organized and can work quickly,鈥� Chellis says.

鈥淚 love working with Matt,鈥� concurs Fabris. 鈥淲e鈥檝e known each other a long time.鈥�

In addition to working with an old friend, Chellis will spend Saturday night鈥檚 performance doing something he鈥檚 rarely had the opportunity to do as an educator: perform with his students. 鈥淚t鈥檚 fun and interesting to put into practice what we discuss in the studio,鈥� the tenor explains. 鈥淲e鈥檙e sharing our experiences and learning from each other.鈥�

The material is as familiar as it gets for Chellis: he鈥檚 performed 鈥淒on Ramiro鈥� with companies all over the world, including Frankfurt Opera, Atlanta Opera and the National Symphony Orchestra at Kennedy Center. 鈥淚t鈥檚 fun to be the romantic lead,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 like this role because it鈥檚 a challenge. There are a lot of vocal fireworks that one is required to negotiate.

Also familiar with Rossini鈥檚 comic opera is College of Music graduate Ashraf Sewailam. 鈥淭his role has become my niche,鈥� says the bass-baritone, a native of Cairo, Egypt. 鈥淚 first played 鈥楢lidoro鈥� in 2007 with Nevada Opera and the Fresno Grand Opera, and I鈥檝e done it with larger companies since then. I鈥檓 performing it again with San Diego Opera next year.

鈥淚t has one of the most amazing arias鈥攖he 鈥榯ransformation鈥� aria is my favorite that I鈥檝e done.鈥�

Sewailam is in Colorado to appear in 鈥淎ida鈥� with Opera Colorado. He鈥檚 performing in 鈥淟a Cenerentola鈥� thanks to an agreement between Opera Colorado and the College of Music. 鈥淥riginally, CU called me to ask whom I would recommend for the part since I was busy鈥攂ut because of the generosity of Opera Colorado, we were able to work out a deal,鈥� he explains.

He says he鈥檚 thrilled to be back in 麻豆影院. 鈥淚 like to say my wardrobe lives here, because I have a home in 麻豆影院, but I鈥檓 on the road 10 months out of the year,鈥� Sewailam says.

And he knows for the students he鈥檚 performing with, it鈥檚 thrilling to have him back, too. 鈥淚 was in awe as a student when I got to work with our accomplished faculty and alumni,鈥� he says.听鈥淵ou learn so much, not just about the skill you need, but how to behave as a professional.鈥�

For the audience, the chance to hear and see the work of these renowned professionals is icing on the cake. 鈥溾�楥inderella鈥� is such a wonderful, universally known story,鈥� says Chellis. 鈥淚t鈥檚 beautifully written, funny, sincere and poignant.

鈥淚t鈥檚 appropriate for younger voices, and it鈥檚 also a great style for the opera orchestra to learn to play.鈥�

Pre-performance lectures by听Associate Professor and Eklund Opera Program Music Director听Nicholas Carthy听start an hour before curtain times in the Macky Auditorium Loge.

Showtimes for 鈥淟a Cenerentola鈥�:

Sung in Italian with English surtitles

Friday, Oct. 23, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 24, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 25, 2 p.m.