2007-2008 Season:

Dido and Aeneas by Henry Purcell
The Impressario by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Riders to the Sea by Vaughan Williams
Galantry, a Soap Opera by Moore

Dido and Aeneas by Henry Purcell

Synopsis

Act I Dido, the widowed Queen of Carthage, entertains the Trojan Prince Aeneas, shipwrecked on his way to Italy, where he is to found a new Troy. Queen Dido begins to fall in love with her guest. Dido is reluctant to yield completely, but she is urged to pursue her desire by her courtiers and her confidante, Belinda. The act ends with rejoicing as Dido professes her love and Aeneas decides to stay in Carthage.

Act II A Sorceress plots with a coven of witches to destroy Carthage by dashing Dido's amorous hopes. Their plan is to conjure a storm while the couple are out hunting in the forest, where a member of the witches coven, disguised as Mercury, will remind Aeneas of his duties and force him to set sail for Rome. The witches' storm arises and the lovers are separated; Aeneas is confronted by the false Mercury, who tells Aeneas he must leave Dido and sail for Italy.

Act III Aeneas' sailors prepare to set sail. The witches, witnessing this scene, gloat over their victory and confidently predict the queen's demise. At the Palace, Dido confronts Aeneas, silences his excuses and orders him away. When he leaves, Dido is inconsolable, and after her lament, she kills herself, her death lamented by mourning cupids who sing of scattering roses on her tomb.

The Impresario by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Cast List
Mr. Scruples, Greg Delmage
Mr. Bluff, Nick Piper
Mr. Angel, David MacAdam
Mme. Goldentrill, Shawne Elizabeth
Miss. Silverpeal, Ellison Owen

Riders to the Sea by Ralph Vaughan Williams and
Gallantry, a Soap Opera by Douglas Moore.

A literal setting of the J.M. Synge 1904 stage play set on the west coast of Ireland, “Riders To The Sea” has been characterized by critics as an operatic masterpiece and Vaughan William's best. As this tale of a rural coastal family beset by tragedy opens, we discover that over the years Maurya has lost her husband, father-in-law, and four of six sons in accidents at sea…and the fifth son is now missing.

“Gallantry, A Soap Opera” is a brilliantly funny (and a little bit naughty) send-up of the live television soap operas of the 1950's. The ubiquitous Announcer introduces a familiar storyline: set in a hospital, “Dr. Gregg”, a leering Lothario of a surgeon, is trying every trick in his book to seduce the seemingly proper nurse “Lola”, who it turns out is engaged to be married. And in the soap opera tradition, there are of course unexpected twists and turns!