March 4, 2004

‘Little Women’ wraps opera season

The School of Music’s 2003-04 Opera and Vocal Master Class Season will conclude this spring with composer Mark Adamo’s first opera “Little Women” (May 21 and 22) and an opera master class (May 4) presented by Julius Rudel, one of America’s most celebrated conductors and opera administrators.

Louisa May Alcott’s classic novel will be presented in an entirely new way — through the eyes and ears of Adamo — at 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 21 and Saturday, May 22, at Cahn Auditorium.

Set in New England in the midst of the Civil War, the classic tale of the four March sisters and their lessons on familial love will be brought to life during the two upcoming performances directed by Noel Koran, Northwestern’s director of opera. Guest conductor Andrew Bisantz will conduct both performances.

Since its 1998 premiere, the opera “Little Women” has been widely produced and broadcast nationwide, and hailed by critics as “a joy in every way.” Performances will be in English with English supertitles.

Rudel’s opera master class will be held at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 4, in Lutkin Hall.

Former principal conductor of the New York City Opera, Rudel has championed long-neglected Italian operas and American music. He now devotes much of his time to symphonic conducting, but has recently made operatic appearances in New York, Buenos Aires, and with the Lyric Opera of Chicago.

He also served as music director of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra and was the first music director of Washington’s Kennedy Center. He has worked with the Metropolitan Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago and Berlin’s Deutsche Oper, and his many recordings include a Grammy Award-winner and seven Grammy nominations.

Single ticket prices for the opera “Little Women” are $20 for the general public; $16 for senior citizens and Northwestern faculty and staff; and $5.50 for full-time students.

Single tickets for Rudel’s opera master class are priced from $6.50 for the general public; $4.50 for senior citizens and Northwestern faculty and staff; and $3.50 for full-time students.

To order tickets to the spring opera or master class by phone, call (847) 467-4000.