Review: Minnesota premiere of Missy Mazzoli's 2018 opera Proving Up at Southern Theater

"Journey North Opera Company (JNOC) presents the Minnesota premiere of Missy Mazzoli's 2018 opera Proving Up at the Southern Theater in Minneapolis, November 11 and 12 at 7:30 and November 13 at 2:00. Stage direction by Amanda Carlson, music direction by Brian Dowdy.

In their first mainstage production since 2019's acclaimed The Rape of Lucretia, Journey North Opera is thrilled to present Proving Up - a new American opera by trailblazing composer Missy Mazzoli: The Zegner family have met nearly every stipulation of the American Homestead Act of 1862 - a house of sod, acres of grain, five years of harvest - to say nothing of the crushing sacrifices they've made while trying to survive a multi-year drought...only one crucial item remains before they become landowners: a glass window, scarce and fragile, must adorn their mound of parched earth."

Cast:

Miles Zegner - David Walton The Sodbuster - Alex Barnett Mr. Johannes "Pa" Zegner - Joel Mathias Mrs. Johannes "Ma" Zegner - Amy Wolf Taller Zegner Daughter - Alyssa Burdick Littler Zegner Daughter - Kristina Butler Peter Zegner - Joe Allen Nore - Kelly Nelson

Creative Team:

Stage Director - Amanda Carlson Music Director & Conductor - Brian Dowdy Producer - Colleen Meier Collaborative Pianist - Jared Miller Stage Manager - Ajah Williams Violence Choreographer - Mason Tyer Costume Designer - Stacey Palmer Set Designer - Todd Edwards Lighting Designer - Kyia Britts Makeup Designer - Colleen Meier

This was my first time seeing a production by the Journey North Opera Company. They did this produciton at the Southern Theater. I've been to the Southern Theater for concerts so it was interesting to see the space used for an opera.

The opera had a live orchestra on stage left and the rest of the stage was used for the set and performance space. The set that was a house of sod and the grave site, a fence, and wooden animals made for releaistic feel inside the space along with the costumes and makeup, it gave a dark sense of the time period.

The talent was great. All of the performers had great chemisty and were committed to their characters. The score had beautiful music and the story was haunting yet captivating. They had all had splended voices that worked well in the space which suprisingly had good acousitcs for opera. The subtitles were displayed nice and clear on the back wall. The opera was sung in english but I believe that even if the opera is sung in English, it helps. The opera was only 70 minutes with no intermission. It would be a great opera opportunity for someone who may have never seen an opera before or may be new to the opera scene.

T

Thank you Journey North Opera Company for a wonderful production! We will look forward to seeing more!

For more information about Journey North Opera Company and upcoming productions, please click the ticket link button below.

Photos by Loco/FX Photography

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