UK SOOP Presents Sneak Peek of 'Adventures of Alice in Opera Land'
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Sept. 10, 2014) – The Schmidt Opera Outreach Program (“SOOP”), a University of Kentucky Opera Theatre outreach program now in its 11th year of producing opera for school children across the Bluegrass, presents "The Adventures of Alice in Opera Land." The 35-minute opera uses some of the greatest opera hits to teach students about opera and opera characters. Local audiences can get a sneak peek of the opera 2 p.m., Sept. 13, at UK Albert B. Chandler Hospital Pavilion A Auditorium.
Alice will travel to elementary schools, public libraries and performing arts centers across the state of Kentucky to expose children to the art form of opera in an educational and light-hearted manner.
UK Artist-in-Residence and alumna Gregory Turay directs a cast of familiar faces to UK Opera Theatre fans. Katherine Hay, last seen as Eponine in “Les Misérables,” plays Alice. Playing multiple characters are Wanessa Campelo, last seen as Zerlina in “Don Giovanni” and Fantine in “Les Misérables,” and Samuel Themer, last seen as Thernardier in “Les Misérables.” UK School of Music alumna and pianist Maris Deddens, who played keyboard for “Les Misérables” and “The Phantom of the Opera,” plays keyboard for the production.
Before SOOP travels this fall, local audiences are invited to take in an open dress rehearsal beginning 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 13, in the UK Chandler Hospital Pavilion A Auditorium. The dress rehearsal is free and open to the public. The show is 35 minutes followed by a question-and-answer session with the cast. Free parking is available for the show in the hospital visitor garage on South Limestone and Transcript Avenue.
Schools or organizations interested in booking the show or wanting more information should contact Kathrin Thawley at 859-402-6946 or uksoop@gmail.com or visit www.ukoperatheatre.org and click “Opera Outreach.”
SOOP is the recipient of the 2012-2013 “Friend of Music Award” from the Kentucky Music Education Association. The award is the highest award for non-educator contribution to music education in the state of Kentucky.
To see video clips of previous SOOP performances, visit www.ukoperatheatre.org/pages/opera-outreach/soop.shtml.
UK Opera Theatre is part of the UK School of Music at UK College of Fine Arts. The school has garnered a national reputation for high-caliber education in opera, choral and instrumental music performance, as well as music education, composition, and theory and music history.