Britney Spears and Paris Hilton impersonators appeared at the McCullough Theater Friday and Sunday playing divas cat-fighting for the attention of an impresario who could launch them into operatic stardom and fame.
A mixed crowd of students and elders was shocked and amused by Octavio Cardenas' staging of "The Impresario," a one-act opera by Mozart. Cardenas has not changed Mozart's musical style, but some may be taken aback by the new lyrics, humorous dialogue and pop culture references.
Leonard Bernstein's "Trouble in Tahiti," under the direction of Robert DeSimone, was also performed last weekend at the theater.
Set in the 1950s, the opera alludes to the mass development of suburban neighborhoods throughout the country and nuclear family in front of the TV screen. Bernstein incorporates these themes with smart, playful lyrics surrounding the somber reality of a married couple that can no longer communicate.
The husband has a macho exterior who has his doubts about their marriage, while the wife breaks down and laments her shattered dream of a life. She goes to see "Trouble in Tahiti" at the movies and afterward delivers one of the most beautiful, colorful arias of the night.
One opera explores perennial themes in an iconoclastic form, while the other refreshes classical music with contemporary staging. The Sarah and Ernest Butler Opera Center has presented an innovative take on the art form that's sure to attract a broader audience.
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