Girls on Wheels reach for the high notes at UNT opera. (Photo by Vicki Baker)
Vicki Baker
Imagine the opera—a ridiculous affair with people dressed in outlandish costumes with Viking-style horns protruding from their metallic headgear, bellowing from the depths of who knows where in some incomprehensible language, while wealthy oldsters dressed to the nines sit in utter boredom. It’s so daunting and dull, dingy, obscure, and pretentious.
Those are some pretty unflattering stereotypes. And it was those preconceived notions that kept Girls on Wheels (Susan Hebert, Cassie Richardson, Karen Dipietro, Nancy Burns, and Vicki Baker) from giving opera a chance. That was until we spent an evening in the intimate Lyric Theater of the Murchison Performing Arts Center. We settled into our premium balcony seats for UNT’s renowned College of Music’s presentation of one of the world’s most popular operas, Bizet’s Carmen.
As the house lights dimmed and the orchestra tuned instruments, the excitement became palpable and, suddenly, everything sparked. The much-anticipated performance began as the stars of tomorrow took to the stage. The re-imagined music drama was now set in a Roma bar and accompanied by a flamenco-style band, including Spanish guitar and accordion, in an intimate, up-close-and-personal new version.
The operatic repertoire looked effortless as members of the company traversed the stage. The singers performed a multi-hour production from memory; not just memorizing the text but also the entire musical score, singing in a different language (with correct pronunciation), acting while covered in makeup and wearing heavy and elaborate costumes, performing under hot lights, and singing over an orchestra without the use of microphones. Talk about a wow factor!
The musical genius and the exquisite talents of the performers masterfully conveyed the emotions of their characters—life, death, love, tragedy, and so much more. While the opera was performed in French, subtitles were projected above the stage on video screens, enabling us to follow word-for-word the singers’ lyrics. We sat back and immersed ourselves in all the emotional messages coming through the music.
Opera wasn’t what Girls on Wheels expected it to be. It surprised us in new and fascinating ways, breaking down long-ingrained negative stereotypes. Opera spoke to us and about us.
So, whether you’re a live music lover, a visual artist, a history buff, a strictly-in-the-shower singer, a binge-watcher, a social butterfly, a bookworm, a fashionista, a storyteller, an athlete—there is something in opera for everyone to enjoy. But don’t take our word for it! Search out the local opera company, see what they have to offer, and challenge your own expectations.