Comic Intermezzo brings opera to the University of St. Francis
The
Comic Intermezzo will present the opera "Miride
and Damari" at the University of St. Francis
on Friday, Nov. 8.
The
Comic Intermezzo consisting of soprano Kathleen
and bass-baritone Peter Van De Graaff will collaborate
with Ars Antigua, a Chicago early music ensemble
to present the opera by Johann Adolph Hasse.
The
7:30 p.m. concert will be in the university’s
Moser Performing Arts Center auditorium. Tickets
are $8; $5 for students and senior citizens. For
information or reservations, call (815)
740-3404.
The
"intermezzo" is an art form that flourished
in the early to mid 18th century throughout Europe.
It is a form of comic chamber opera, generally
scored for soprano, bass and string ensemble,
and inserted in between the acts of the larger
"opera seria". This intermezzo is very
typical of the genre as it deals with the jealousies
and misunderstandings of a pair of young lovers.
Johann Adolph Hasse (1699-1783) wrote primarily
operas and excelled at writing intermezzos.
Peter
and Kathleen Van De Graaff have rediscovered the
art form and while performing and throughout Europe,
collected the scores of early 18th century chamber
operas called "intermezzi." They have
performed intermezzos since 1985.
The
Van De Graaffs have also performed these live
on WFMT and throughout the United States, and
gave the Asian premiere of Hasse’s "Miride
e Damari" in Tokyo. They perform the operas
in English, fully-staged and costumed.
They
will bring to the university Johann Adolph Hasse’s
"Mirade and Damari," an intermezzo from
1726, and his first intermezzo of 14. "Mirade
and Damari" was first paired with the Opera
Seria "Il Sesostrate" with the Libretto
by Carasale.
The
first half of the presentation is a description
of the genre with examples of arias and recits
to familiarize the audience with the intermezzo.
The second half of the presentation is the opera
itself. For more information about the Comic Intermezzo,
visit their website at www.thecomicintermezzo.com.
Performers
include members of Ars Antigua: Gesa Kordes and
Allison Edberg, violins; William Bauer, viola;
Ravenna Helson, cello; Jerry Fuller, double bass;
and Kimberly Schmidt, harpsichord.
The University of St. Francis is at 500 Wilcox St. in Joliet.