Kick off new year with Soiree Lyrique's production of 'Die Fledermaus'
Soirée Lyrique presents a fully staged production of "Die Fledermaus" or "The Revenge of the Bat" by Johann Strauss II, at 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 31, and 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 6, at First United Methodist Church, 216 E. Highland Ave. in Elgin. There is free city parking deck on Highland Avenue across street from church.
This comic operetta will be performed in English with the participation of Chamber Music on the Fox, Soirée Lyrique's Young Artist Chorus, pianist Chiayi Lee, and conductor Rosemary Schroeder.
The cast includes: soprano Solange Sior (West Dundee) as Rosalinda, wife of Eisenstein; baritone Nicholas Provenzale (South Dakota) as Gabriel Eisenstein, husband of Rosalinda; soprano Mikaela Schneider (Greendale, Wis) as Adele, the maid: tenor Franco Martorana (Schaumburg) as Alfredo, old flame of Rosalinda; baritone Aaron Wardell (Chicago) as Dr. Falke, friend of Gabriel; bass-baritone Eric J. McConnell (Chicago) as Dr. Blind, Gabriel's lawyer and as Frank, the jailer; mezzo-soprano Barbara Landis (Chicago) as Prince Orlofsky; mezzo-soprano Marissa Simmons (Chicago) as Sally, sister of Adele; soprano Kimberly Jones (Chicago), alum of the Ryan Opera Center with the prestigious Lyric Opera of Chicago, as The Diva; soprano Kathleen Monson (Arlington Heights) as Marlena, an opera singer; and soprano Lindsay Dasenbrock (Mahomet) as The Doll.
Soirée Lyrique's Young Artist Chorus participating in the event includes: Blake Buczkiewicz and Rachel Meister, both of Huntley; Sarafina Monteleone of Aurora; Kelsey Welch and Charmaine Jake-Matthews, both of Chicago; Jennifer Schellenberg of Antioch; Samantha D'Adamo of Lombard; Carol Munn of Lake in the Hills; Michael Hudetz of Batavia; Keoni Plaza of Hoffman Estates; Michael Greenstone of Evanston; and Alex Rattana of DeKalb.
The string quartet from Chamber Music on the Fox features: violinist Eric Pidluski of Chicago, violinist Carol Yampolsky of Evanston, violist Nicholas Jeffrey of Oak Park and cellist Sara Sitzer of Elgin.
In the 1874 operetta, Eisenstein is being forced to go to jail for punching a police officer on New Year's Eve. However, he decides to postpone jail for one night so that he can go to Prince Orlofsky's lavish soiree with his friend Falke. Meanwhile, Rosalinda knows that Eisenstein is lying and follows him in disguise as a Hungarian countess. Adele, their maid, feigns an excuse to be released from work that night so that she can also go to the soiree disguised as a Russian opera singer named Olga. After many mistaken identities, Eisenstein attempts to seduce his own wife without knowing it is her. Much frivolity and many festivities behind them, the great farce ends up with a happy ending for all.
Advance tickets are $25 or $30 at the door; students are $15. No children under 6 years old.
Order tickets at the box office at (847) 622-9988 or office@soireelyrique.org or download a brochure at www.soireelyrique.org.
This event has been generously sponsored by longtime friend and patron Stu (Sterling) Ainsworth.
Soirée Lyrique, NFP is a 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt nonprofit organization.