This Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, The University of Alabama Opera Theatre will fill Bryant-Jordan Hall with the sounds of operatic voices and hysteric laughter from the top of its high, arched, wooden ceilings down to its smooth, tile floor. Their production of “The Merry Wives of Windsor” is an opera based on Shakespeare’s famed romantic comedy.
Undergraduate, masters and doctoral students have collaborated under the direction of Susan Williams to bring this show to life. “The Merry Wives of Windsor” has showings at 7:30 p.m. on March 1 and 3, and 3 p.m. on March 5. Located seven minutes from the Quad, and an admissions price of only $5 for students, the opera is accessible to anyone interested in attending.
“It’s unique; it’s Shakespeare, which is important, and it’s funny,” said Paul Houghtaling, director of The UA Opera Theatre. “It’s a chance to include opera and theatre in your lives. Culture is rich. It’s an opportunity to take a night off and come here—it’s on the campus, but a little far removed, and to just have a magical two and a half hours of theatre. Why not? It opens their minds and keeps their hearts open. I recommend an evening at the theater anytime, anywhere. So, why not here, at Bryant-Jordan Hall?”
“The Merry Wives of Windsor” is about two friends, Frau Fluth and Frau Reich, who each receive a love letter from a lecherous man named Sir John Falstaff. Once they discover he sent the letter to both of them, they set out to make his life miserable and corner him into repentance. In a romantic subplot, the daughter of Frau Reich is in love with a man named Fenton, but her parents have promised her to two different men. Both plots unfold and weave together to provide light-hearted humor and an eventful love story.
Technically considered an operetta, the show is a shorter version of an opera that boasts a whimsical, comedic storyline. The Huxford Symphony Orchestra, an orchestra composed of students, will be accompanying the singers to give the show an extra touch of depth that only live music can bring. The songs in this operetta are sung in German, but not to worry— English supertitles will be projected above the stage so that those not fluent in German can still enjoy the show. Additionally, the dialogue is all spoken in English.
This particular show was specifically chosen by Houghtaling because of the way it suits the talents of the singers in the program. The actors and actresses fit well into their characters and pull the audience into the story by means of their realistic portrayals and familiar inspirations.
“I think I draw my inspiration from my relationship with my best friend,” said Cheyna Alexander, a second year master’s student who plays Frau Reich in the production. “It’s how I would react if my best friend came to me and said, ‘Let’s destroy this a**hole, and let’s take him down.’ I’d think, ‘ughh I don’t know.’ But, then of course I would go for it! So, I think especially this opera is so realistic. There’s nothing fairytale about it. It’s stuff that happens every day, so you draw inspiration from your real life.”
The University of Alabama Opera Theatre encourages those unfamiliar with opera to not be intimidated by the age-old means of entertainment.
“I think opera is a very special art form,” said Chris Withrow, a first-year doctoral student who plays Heir Fluth in the show. “It’s something a lot of people consider geared towards different generations. But, one of the most amazing things about it is that even now, there are so many things about it that are so very current and relevant.”
If you are interested in exploring a different form of art, watching a quality rom-com, or just seeing a cheating guy get what he deserves, head on over to Bryant-Jordan Hall this week and enjoy the talents of The University of Alabama Opera Theatre in this performance.
