Classical Composers To Be Featured W/ Ohio Light Opera

Classical composers like Victor Herbert, Jacques Offenbach, and Johann Strauss, along with 20th century lyricists Jerry Bock and George Gershwin, and the Victorian-era team of W.S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan will be featured when Ohio Light Opera opens its 31st season at The College of Wooster in June.

The 2009 summer festival, which runs June 12 through Aug. 8, includes Herbert's "Mlle. Modiste," Offenbach's "The Beautiful Helen of Troy," and Strauss' "A Night in Venice" among its seven productions. Also on the schedule are Gilbert & Sullivan's "H.M.S. Pinafore" and "Ruddigore" and two musicals: Bock's "Fiddler on the Roof" and Gershwin's "Of Thee I Sing."

"We're very excited about the coming season," said Artistic Director Steven Daigle. "We believe the schedule will be very appealing to longtime patrons of Ohio Light Opera as well as those who have never seen one of our performances."

Herbert's "Mlle. Modiste," which broke new ground with its treatment of societal stereotypes and gender biases when it was released in 1905, has been hailed by critics for the charm, wit, and romance that characterize both the story and the score. Offenbach's "The Beautiful Helen of Troy," which debuted in 1864, captured the licentious spirit of French operetta better than any of his 100 stage works, and influenced generations of operatic composers. Strauss' "A Night in Venice," which premiered in 1883, has all the ingredients of the Golden Age of Viennese Operetta, complete with mistaken identities, a masked ball, and romantic gondola rides - all tied into the intrigue of Venice's Carnival.

Bock's "Fiddler on the Roof," which opened in 1964, is one of Broadway's most beloved shows and the first to play more than 3,000 performances before becoming a full-length feature film. A heartwarming story of love, marriage, sacrifice, duty, and tradition, it continues to be one of the most popular American musicals. Gershwin's 1931 political spoof "Of Thee I Sing" is the first musical to win a Pulitzer Prize and was the longest-running of Gershwin's two dozen shows.

"Ruddigore" and "H.M.S. Pinafore" are two of Gilbert & Sullivan's most beloved productions, which have served as the foundation for Ohio Light Opera since its founding in 1970. Always popular with OLO audiences, company members are also excited about these two shows, particularly "Ruddigore," which features a star-studded cast that includes veteran performers Fred Reeder, Ted Christopher, Dennis Jesse, and Sahara Glasener.

Ohio Light Opera is the only professional company in the United States devoted entirely to operetta. This distinctive lyric-style theater tradition performs the entire Gilbert & Sullivan repertoire as well as rarely presented continental works of the 19th and early 20th centuries, including treasures from Viennese, Hungarian, German, and American repertoire.

"Ohio Light Opera productions are enjoyable, entertaining, and easy to follow," said manager and producer Laura Neill. "Each show is performed in English. The sets are breathtaking, the costumes are beautiful, and the music is magnificent."

Performers are chosen from auditions that are held each fall and winter in up to eight cities across the country, including New York and Boston. The 40 performing artists that make up the residency ensemble are chosen for their ability to perform and participate at the highest level in all disciplines used in the repertoire - singing, acting, and dancing.

Many former Ohio Light Opera performers have gone on to very successful careers elsewhere, including Paul Groves and Lucas Meachem, who are now with the New York Metropolitan Opera.

Approximately 20,000 patrons from across the country and around the world come to Wooster for Ohio Light Opera performances in the intimate confines of Freedlander Theatre, which is located on Wooster's campus at 329 E. University St. The box office, located in Westminster Church House (353 E. Pine St.) during the off-season, is open Monday through Friday 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Individual tickets are $45 for matinees, which begin at 2 p.m., and $41 for evening performances, which will start one-half hour earlier this year (7:30 p.m.). Tickets for students (ages 16-23) are just $20, and admission for children (ages 3-15) are just $10. Group discount rates and special packages are also available. VISA, MasterCard, and Discover Card are accepted.

Additional information about Ohio Light Opera is available by phone (330-263-2345) or online (OhioLightOpera.org).

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