The UTM Lyric Opera Theater presented a mix of classical operas and well-known musicals at their program on Saturday, March 23 in Blankenship Recital Hall.
The program consisted of a variety of operas from famous composers such as W. A. Mozart and Jacques Offenbach and well-known musicals like Fiddler on the Roof.
The program was directed by Dr. Amy Yueng until intermission where Dr. Mark Simmons took over with “The Magic Flute” performance. The production was the first time the students have presented it here in Martin.
“The Magic Flute” is a production that UTM Music performs with the Jackson Symphony. They have performed at nursing homes, hospitals, schools and more. Simmons informed the audience that these performances help bring arts to people who may have never experienced it before. They have performed this piece 36 times.
Shelby Johnston, a junior Vocal Performance major performed two of the six songs during the recital. She stated that performing “Belle Nuit” by Jacques Offenbach and “The Flower Duet” by Leo Delibes both challenged her, but “The Flower Duet” allowed her to find new ranges with her voice while she was perfecting the song.
When asked what the overall performance meant to her she said, “At first, the decision to have a mixed performance with opera and musical theater was a difficult concept to understand, but with the Harriet Fulton Theater under construction it was the best decision for the students that participated in the program.”
Johnston also explained how the specific selection of the show helped her see the importance of collaboration and flexibility.
“It Takes Two” was designed to be full of variety and different styles of music. The Lyric Opera Theater has been rehearsing since the second full week of school for this performance and the end result displayed the hard work that Yueng and Simmons encourage from each student.
The Music Department presents many concerts and recitals throughout the semester with almost all being open and free to the public.
For a full calendar of events, visit https://www.utm.edu/departments/music/Calendarofevents.php.
