MEADVILLE, Pa. – April 20, 2009 – The Allegheny Chamber Singers will present their annual program featuring scenes from opera at 3:15 p.m. on Sunday, May 3 in Ford Chapel at Allegheny College. The program is free and open to the public.
Alyssa Gumkowski, a junior, and Dalton Phillips, a sophomore, will perform the first scene from Beethoven's only opera, “Fidelio.” In this scene Jaquino tries to persuade Marcelline to accept his proposal of marriage.
Senior Sharon Bellina and sophomore Camilo Matos will sing one of the best known duets in opera: “La ci darem la mano” from Mozart's “Don Giovanni.” Don Giovanni, the notorious womanizer, tries to charm Zerlina into accepting his advances and abandoning her betrothed.
The sorceress, sung by junior Kristyn Gumpper, and two students portraying the witches, sophomore Christine Wagner and senior Elaine Boron, will perform a scene from Purcell's “Dido and Aeneas.” They hatch a plan to destroy Queen Dido by sabotaging her new-found love for Prince Aeneas.
The final two scenes are from Mozart's “Marriage of Figaro.” In the first scene Susanna is sung by senior Charlotte Merriman and the Count by junior Brian Henderson. Susanna has consented to an illicit meeting with the Count “in the garden,” but in reality it will be his wife disguised as Susanna. The next scene is in the garden. Susanna, this time sung by junior Sara Odioso, encounters her fianc�, Figaro, sung by sophomore Christopher Voss. She is dressed as the Countess and for a moment, Figaro is fooled.
The program will open with the first chorus from Handel's “Alcina” and will close with “The Saint's Procession” from “Four Saints in Three Acts” by Virgil Thomson with words by Gertrude Stein.
Instructor of Music Vicki Jamison is the vocal coach for the program, and Professor of Music Ward Jamison is the accompanist. Bellina staged the scenes.
