The Glenn Korff School of Music’s opera program took its production of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s “The Marriage of Figaro” on the road in May and completed a four-city tour across Nebraska, thanks to the generosity of the James C. and Rhonda Seacrest Tour Nebraska Opera Fund.
"When the next history of the university is written, more than one chapter surely will be devoted to the vision, generosity and impact of Jim and Rhonda Seacrest,” said Glenn Korff School of Music Director John W. Richmond. “This most recent gift, enabling our UNL Opera program to tour nimble productions of the standard repertoire to rural communities in Nebraska, is among the most heartwarming and important—heartwarming because it provides a cultural enrichment to these communities that otherwise would be inaccessible, and important because this investment teaches our students to take their art to eager audiences, rather than hoping that audiences will come to them.”
The opera was performed at the following venues:
• Friend Opera House, May 15 in Friend, Nebraska
• The Golden Husk, May 18 in Ord, Nebraska
• Northeast Community College, May 19 in Norfolk, Nebraska
• Red Cloud Opera House, May 20 in Red Cloud, Nebraska
Hixson-Lied Professor and Director of Opera William Shomos said he began thinking about outreach in Nebraska during previous trips to Ireland. The Seacrests sponsored two trips for UNL Opera to take productions to the Waterford Light Opera Festivals in 2002 and 2007, where it won Best Opera in 2007.
“When the Seacrests sent us to Ireland a couple of times, those were just incredible, life-changing experiences for all of us involved,” he said. “But it was then that I began to think: what if we could tour opera here at home in Nebraska for our citizens of the state?”
The James C. and Rhonda Seacrest Tour Nebraska Opera Fund gift to the University of Nebraska Foundation was announced in August 2015. The fund is used to support the production, promotion, travel and other expenses incurred by the Glenn Korff School of Music for outreach opera events, both artistic and educational, across Nebraska, especially in rural venues.
“The gift is projected to sustain UNL Opera tours for at least two more seasons,” Shomos said. “The success of this first tour holds much promise for the future.”
Jeffrey Luksik, a Master of Music student from Johnstown, Pennsylvania, who played Bartolo in the production, was excited for the tour.
“I was excited for the tour because it took me farther west than I’ve ever been,” he said. “Besides that, I love bringing opera to people who perhaps haven’t truly experienced it before and changing their minds about it.”
Jared Hiscock, a DMA student from Grass Valley, California, played the title role of “Figaro.”
“The first thing that comes to mind was just how lucky I am to tour with such a great group who share a passion for singing and for opera,” he said. “Another thing that made taking ‘Figaro’ on the road so exciting was how much fun it is to sing opera in such creatively inspiring spaces for intrigued and energetic audiences.”
“The Marriage of Figaro” is one of the most frequently performed operas. It tells how the servants Figaro and Susanna succeed in getting married, foiling the efforts of their philandering employer Count Almaviva to seduce Ssusanna and teach him a lesson in fidelity.
Associate Professor of Bassoon Jeff McCray conducted the three-piece orchestra, which included recent UNL alumna Lexi Raygor on viola, current DMA student Jennifer Reeves on clarinet and UNL alumnus Denis Plutalov on piano.
“There is not a true pit in any of the places we performed, so the placement of the orchestra in relation to the stage was different in each place and not always right in front of the stage,” McCray said.
Luksik was looking forward to the challenge of performing in different spaces.
“I love doing operas where the venue changes each time. It keeps everyone on their toes, and you give a different performance for every space,” he said. “I’ve performed in theatres, churches, classrooms and more than one converted barn, but never in an actual ‘opera house.’ I feel like I’ll officially be an opera singer after doing that.”
Indeed, the performance in Friend, Nebraska, at the Warren Opera House was of historic significance.
“It’s this unbelievable space,” Shomos said. “It’s a gem, and it’s such an honor for us to be performing the show there.”
With the first act taking place in the partially restored opera house space, UNL Opera’s “The Marriage of Figaro” actually marked the very first opera to ever be performed in that theatre, or for that matter, anywhere in Friend.
The Ord, Nebraska, performance was at the Golden Husk Theatre.
“We went to Ord, which was just a remarkable discovery for me—this small community with such a vibrant arts program. They’re just thrilled to be having opera there. Again, a first for the community. The Golden Husk is a renovated old movie theatre that’s absolutely delightful.”
They also performed at the community college in Norfolk, before wrapping up the tour in Red Cloud at the Red Cloud Opera House.
McCray said, “I had heard lots of great things about the opera house and its restoration, but I hadn’t had the opportunity to see it. I also happen to be a big fan of Willa Cather, so I was eager to see where she grew up.”
There were also outreach performances for students in Friend and Ord.
“I think the thing I love the most is engaging with the schools,” Hiscock said. “The energy of the schools is exhilarating.”
Shomos hopes the Seacrests’ initial gift will inspire a continuation of this mission for opera outreach.
“The University is supported by the entire state of Nebraska, and programs like UNL Opera belong to all of the state’s citizens,” he said. “It is so valuable to bring this art form out to the entire state, especially to rural communities without easy access to UNL Opera productions in Lincoln. Our goal is to make connections to those communities.”