Student Night at the Opera: The Tender Land

UA Opera Theatre Presents Student Night at the Opera, an evening dedicated to students and the best place to mingle with fellow opera lovers! This one-night-only, special event will feature a performance of Aaron Copland’s The Tender Land, fully staged with orchestra, as well as a Pre-Show Talk with UA faculty about our production and the music of Copland. Admission to Student Night is free.

For tickets or more information, please contact Cynthia Stokes cynthiastokes@arizona.edu.

The Tender Land
Music By Aaron Copland, Libretto by Horace Everett

Wednesday, October 27th, 2021 – 7:30 pm
Pre-show talk at 6:45 pm
Crowder Hall – Fred Fox School of Music
1017 N. Olive Street Tucson, AZ 85721

Michael Dauphinais, Music Director & Conductor
Cynthia Stokes, Stage Director

Aaron Copland’s The Tender Land is a compelling coming-of-age story set in a rural Midwest town during The Great Depression. Laurie, a young woman on the eve of her high school graduation, must contend with the expectations of family and society while navigating first love and the gravity of pursuing one’s own path. The Tender Land continues to touch contemporary audiences with an unbridled authenticity that truly captures the American spirit. The Tender Land will be performed with a live orchestra.

The Story

Aaron Copland’s The Tender Land is a compelling coming-of-age story set in a rural Midwest town during The Great Depression. Laurie, a young woman on the eve of her high school graduation, must contend with the expectations of family and society while navigating first love and the gravity of pursuing one’s own path. The Tender Land continues to touch contemporary audiences with an unbridled authenticity that truly captures the American spirit.

Cast

Beth Moss
Bethany Pehrson
a young farm girl 12-13 years old

Mrs. Moss
Diana Peralta
her mother

Mr. Splinters
Michael Vince
the postman

Laurie Moss
Yue Huang (Thursday & Saturday)
Aysen Idil Milliogulari (Friday & Sunday)
Mrs. Moss’ daughter, Beth’s sister,
18 years old and about to graduate
from high school

Top
Suyoung Lee
a drifter

Martin
Topher Esguerra
his companion

Grandpa Moss
Zhong Liu (Thursday & Saturday)
Yongjae Lee (Friday & Sunday)
an old farmer, father-in-law
to Mrs. Moss and grandpa to
Beth and Laurie

Mrs. Splinters, Mr. and Mrs. Jenks, Guests
Nadari Hockenhull
Adam Mattson, Morgan Hardy, Bethany Jargstroff,
Mikki Larese Clarissa Smith, Qi Qi

• • •

Orchestra

Holly Schurr, Callum Robbins, violin I
Jessica Muiseke, Helena Hadlock, violin II
Jung Eun Oh,Larissa Brown, viola
Robert Marshall, Marguerite Salajko, cello
Leslie Carter, bass
Mindi Acosta, flute
Gloria Dorado, clarinet
Cassandra Bendickson, bassoon
Shih-Han Su, piano

• • •

Place & Time

June, a farm in the Midwest just before harvest, during the Great Depression.

• • •

Act 1 – late afternoon

I n t e r m i s s i o n

Act 2 – that evening

Act 3 – early the next morning

• • •

The University of Arizona Opera Theater Artistic Staff

Vocal Coach & Conductor Michael Dauphinais
Stage Director Cynthia Stokes
Rehearsal Accompanist Sophia Su
Set and Projection Designer Sally Day
Lighting Designer Todd Poelstra
Costume Designer & Shop Manager Chris Allen
Choreographer Mickey Nugent
English Diction Coach Kathryn laBouff
Production Manager Carson Scott
Technical Director Owen Witzeman
Stage Manager Ashley Ryan Hendrickson
Assistant Stage Manager Maya King
Supertitle operator Myeongju Kang
Supertitles created by Rebeckah Resare

Dr. Lori Wiest, chair Fred Fox School of Music

• • •

Fred Fox School of Music Voice Faculty

Dr. Kristin Dauphinais, mezzo soprano and area coordinator
Professor Yunah Lee, soprano
Dr. Andrew Stuckey, baritone
Professor Cynthia Stokes, opera theater

• • •

Mission Statement for Opera Theater

The Opera Theatre program at the University of Arizona’s mission is to aid in raising the quality and awareness of Opera and the local Tucson and surrounding borderline area and throughout the state of Arizona. The Opera Theatre program promotes opera as a living and essential art form; opera provokes, thrills, and transforms human lives through its unique combination of music and storytelling. The Opera Theatre program is committed to diverse programming including productions of new and contemporary works, works in English and in Spanish, standard repertory, and the essential re-imagination of operatic works for the stage. The Opera Theatre program encourages the development of young opera artists as well as cultivating opera enthusiast of the future. the Opera Theatre program builds community to ensure the success of our students as they become opera practitioners, teachers, and leaders of the future.

• • •

Upcoming Events

The Larry Day Vocal Competition for men
November 5, 2021 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Holsclaw Hall

The Marguerite Ough Vocal Competition for women
November 19, 2021 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Holsclaw Hall

The Wildcat Competition for High School Singers
November 20, 2021 at 3:00 p.m. Holsclaw Hall

UA Vocal Arts Showcase
November 20, 2021 at 5:00 p.m.
Holsclaw Hall

Download The
Event Program

Comment on Facebook

One thing that needs to be considered in this time of major climate change concern is the carbon emissions of flying in artists from overseas. The carbon emissions of flying Stockholm-Tucson roundtrip come to about 3 tons per economy class passenger. That is comparable to the carbon emissions produced by the average American in 1 year of driving. Could a US-based organist have played this recital (shorter travel distance and lower emissions)? Or, is Hammarstrom already on tour in the US (thus consolidating multiple recitals into 1 overseas trip)? There is also the option of offsetting flight emissions. Saying this as a DMA grad of the UA organ program and as an astronomy educator who’s following the astronomy field’s efforts to mitigate climate impact.

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