WCU Opera Theatre Presents Pennsylvania Premiere of Amy Beach’s Cabildo on November 13 and 14
Immersive Production Transports Audiences to a 1930s New Orleans Museum
West Chester University’s (WCU) Opera Theatre invites audiences to experience the Pennsylvania premiere of Cabildo, a charming one-act opera by American composer Amy Beach, on Friday, November 13, at 7:30 p.m., and Saturday, November 14, at 3 p.m. in the Emilie K. Asplundh Concert Hall, Philips Memorial Building, 700 S. High Street, West Chester.
The performance is FREE to children ages 12 and under, and for WCU students, faculty, and staff with valid I.D. All other tickets are $8.25, including fees, and available at www.wcupatix.com.
Directed by Dr. Nicholas Provenzale, the immersive production brings the history and atmosphere of 1930s New Orleans to life. The lobby of the hall will be transformed into the Cabildo Museum in New Orleans, setting the scene for a museum tour in which audience members will encounter performers in character before the opera begins.
Featuring music by Amy Beach and a libretto by Nan Bagby Stephens, Cabildo is a beautifully lyrical and distinctly American opera filled with humor, romance, and historical intrigue. The one-act work runs less than an hour and will be performed in English with English supertitles, making it an accessible introduction to opera for audiences of all ages.
The production will use the opera’s original orchestration for piano, violin, and cello. The instrumental ensemble features Ahyoung Jung on piano, Irene Sedun on violin, and Aidan Jianniney on cello.
The cast includes:
- Barker — Jenna Zueno
- Mary — Kallista Lake
- Tom — Nico Cooper
- Pierre Lafitte — Adrian Camano
- Gaoler — Jarrell Flippen
- Dominique — Brandon Zuniga
- Lady Valerie — Anna Maria Stabilito
The chorus and covers include Faith Bullen, Delia Maldonado, Daphnis Mock (Valerie cover), Jenna Micklos, Peyton Anastasio, Lizzy Fink, Grace Tate, Emma Hammen, Abigail Grisolia, Isabella Murteira (Mary cover), Isabella Wissler, Lauren Cusick, and Isaiah Davitt (Tom cover).
The production's Stage Manager is Connor Petula.
The performance will also be available via livestream at www.vimeo.com/wsom, with the program available at www.issuu.com/wsom.