Meadows Opera Theatre
Scene from SMU Opera’s The Magic Flute
The seasonal Opera Free for All
From 2016: Mozart’s The Magic Flute
Behind the scenes with Meadows Opera Theatre
‹
›
The award-winning Meadows Opera Theatre, under the direction of Hank Hammett, offers imaginative, diverse and cutting-edge productions of repertoire encompassing a wide range of opera, operetta, and musical theatre, providing extensive performance opportunities to vocal students at the undergraduate, graduate, performer diploma and artist diploma levels. A main focus of the multi-tiered program is intensive acting technique training, professional audition preparation, and its partnership with The Dallas Opera.
Meadows Opera Theatre annually presents its popular Opera Free For All monthly Brown Bag Series of scenes and one-act operas as well as innovative full productions throughout the year.
Main stage productions are accompanied by the brilliant Meadows Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of Maestro Paul Phillips. Recent major stagings include Copland’s The Tender Land, Offenbach’s Orpheus in the Underworld, Britten’s Albert Herring, and Mozart’s Il re pastore, Le nozze di Figaro, and La finta giardiniera. For more information, please contact Mr. Hammett at chammett@smu.edu.
2019-2020 Opera Season
Così fan tutte
By Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Lorenzo Da Ponte
- Directed by Hank Hammett
- Conducted by Paul Phillips, MSO
- Meadows Opera Theatre
- February 6, 7, 8, & 9, 2020
- Thursday – Saturday at 7:30 pm
- Sunday at 2:00 pm
- Bob Hope Theatre – Owen Arts Center
The students at Mozart’s and Da Ponte’s “School for Lovers” have learned many of their lessons well. But now it’s time to set aside reading, writing and arithmetic for something far more challenging. Next up is some one-on-one experimentation in the lab where they must answer the question, “What does it mean to love and be loved?” As they examine, dissect, manipulate and explore their subject, two young engaged couples find the art of romance can be filled with desire, suspicion, disillusionment and astonishing surprises. Will they pass their final exam and discover the steep price of truth at any cost? Filled with ethereal, emotionally rich music, parody, silliness and a penetrating understanding of the human heart, this dark comedy’s greatest gift to us may lie in its ability to raise up a giant magnifying glass and show us who we really are, to our discomfort and to our delight. Sung in Italian with English supertitles.
OFFA Performances
Bite-size Arias/Big-size Talents
- Meadows Opera Theatre
- September 20, 2019
- 1 p.m.
- Bob Hope Lobby – Owen Arts Center
- FREE EVENT
The Opera Free For All series annual popular opener showcases every member of the Meadows Opera Ensemble in 60-second arias and songs of their choice as they challenge themselves to make a strong, positive and lasting impression and declare, “This is who I am as a singing actor!” in only one minute. You’ll reconnect with some of your favorite singing actors and meet some exciting newcomers. Be the first to discover the stars of tomorrow!
Here Comes the Bride . . . ?
- Meadows Opera Theatre
- November 8, 2019
- 1 p.m.
- Bob Hope Lobby – Owen Arts Center
- FREE EVENT
We all know the script when it comes to weddings: happiest day of your life, filled with love, champagne, flowers, family, friends, unbridled dancing and exuberant rejoicing! Unless, of course, you’re in an opera. Scenes by Wagner, Donizetti, Sondheim, Mozart, Bernstein, Gounod, Lerner & Lowe and Miranda walk down the aisle. Just don’t expect anyone to live happily ever after! Or sometimes to live at all!
Suor Angelica by Giacomo Puccini
- Meadows Opera Theatre
- March 13, 2020
- 1 p.m.
- Bob Hope Lobby – Owen Arts Center
- FREE EVENT
Set in a contemporary Red Cross refugee camp, a group of Catholic religious sisters go about their daily business, happily helping and healing those in need. But one of them, Sister Angelica, carries a shameful dark secret, one she has kept for seven long years. After an unexpected visit from the cold-hearted, unyielding head of her family, Angelica’s fragile mind begins to unravel. Driven by intense grief and reckless passion, what she does next threatens to betray her values, her faith and her life. Sung in English.
Call Me Old-Fashioned
- Meadows Opera Theatre
- May 1, 2020
- 1 p.m.
- Bob Hope Lobby – Owen Arts Center
- FREE EVENT
Join us for romantic, high-spirted and sparkling scenes from the Golden Age of operetta and musical theatre featuring the works of Jacques Offenbach, Johann Strauss Jr., Rodgers & Hammerstein, Lerner & Lowe, Jerome Kern and more!