The University of Alabama Opera Theatre will perform musical theater, pop songs, solos and duets Tuesday night as part of “One Night Only: An Evening of Our Pop and Broadway Favorites.”

Paul Houghtaling, director of Opera Theatre and assistant professor of voice, is anticipating an excellent evening for his students and the audience alike. While admission is free, he urged students to arrive early due to limited seating.

“It’s overwhelmingly popular, which is why we do it every year,” Houghtaling said. “It brings incredible wealth . . . it brings beauty, joy, art and culture to the community.”

In particular, the event has been known to serve as a showcase for the versatility of the University’s opera singers.

“We sing it all. We’re versatile, young American artists,” Houghtaling said. “We’re thrilled every year to be able to do this for the community and [to have] an opportunity for our students to perform repertoire that’s different from the music we usually perform.”

Performers will have the opportunity to present popular material and less familiar works in order to give the audience a well-rounded experience. As a result, Houghtaling believes the evening will serve as a rewarding experience for the students, the audience and the community at large.

By introducing the audience to what they do through an evening of Broadway music, Houghtaling said he expects it to result in people returning to see the more operatic performances in the future.

“It helps us build our audience,” he said, “And we enjoy giving back to the community through this kind of work.”

Camille Sonnier, a senior majoring in vocal performance, has participated in the event since her freshman year.

“It’s a nice opportunity because it gives students a chance to sing whatever they want,” she said.

Sonnier typically sings high soprano repertoire but enjoys the event because she can do something different.

“I’m singing a Karen Carpenter, a really low piece, because I never get the opportunity to sing really low,” she said.

Ambir Seide, a senior majoring in vocal performance, is very excited about the evening. This is her third time participating in “One Night Only.” She said the event has been very encouraging for her.

“It makes me want to perform more,” she said.

Seide is known for performing the opening and closing song “One Night Only” each year.

“It’s mind– numbing,” Seide said. “I get a rush from doing it. And, I’m really nervous, but I have fun.”

Her favorite part of the evening is seeing the crowd’s reaction to the performers and the talent, she said.

“It’s amazing to hear everybody’s voice outside of classical music,” she added.

For more information about the University’s Opera Theatre, students can go online to www.music.ua.edu/opera.