Lincoln (Neb.) - Nov. 1, 1999 - When Tyler White embarked three years ago on a journey to connect with famed Nebraska author Willa Cather on operatic stage, he looked to the author's words to help turn themselves into melodies.
Three years after beginning to turn the first notes to paper scores and Cather's dialogues to operatic recitation, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln School of Music director of orchestral activities is in the final preparations of the first full-length operatic production of a Cather work, "O Pioneers!" set to be performed Nov. 12 and 14 at Kimball Recital Hall.
White was challenged, he said, to find the right mix of conventional aria, duets, trios, operatic recitation and dialogue, set amidst the vast Nebraska plain, to portray Cather's work as beautifully as the novel itself.
"One of the wonderful things about this novel, and one of the reasons it is so interesting, is that it suggests a lot of the kinds of drama that opera can be: The sweeping epic kind of music... at times comic and wonderfully domestic, and at times all-out full, intense tragedy," said White. "It moves through all those things, and one of the great challenges is in finding a musical 'language' that will evolve from one type of expression to another." Much as Cather's own words, which inspired White.
"My central inspiration was the unique and beautiful and precious qualities of Cather's language, and her narrative voice as a writer who's both very simple, but exquisite and extremely expressive," the orchestral director said.
Through 2 1/2 hours of music and 17 scenes, White sets Cather's famous work to music in a way that he hopes will be entertaining and show honor to the Pulitzer Prize-winning author.
"I've intended all along for this to be an opera that can appeal to everyone since Cather is such an important cultural figure for the state of Nebraska and all of American literature. I've worked on creating this music in a sense that will seem to fit the character of Cather's words, sounding both unique and familiar."
The cast is led by veteran voice student Karen Hughes, who plays central character Alexandra Bergson, the daughter of Swedish immigrants struggling to farm the barren Nebraska plains. Leo Skeffington plays Carl, Dawn Pawlewski as Marie, Philipp Sultzberger as Emil, Travis Richter as Lou, Harold Barnard as Oscar, Jeff Keele as Frank, Bryce Weber as Ivar, Hannah Jo Smith as Mrs. Bergson and Paul Marchese as Amadee, use their voices to help capture the intense drama and strength of the roles in the novel-turned-opera.
Richard Durst, dean of the College of Fine and Performing Arts, created the set design, which incorporates magically the vast, stark, openness of the prairie. Stage direction is by William Shomos, School of Music director of opera. Creating the set, lighting and mood is challenging, yet important in conveying the theme of 'O Pioneers,' White said.
"The staging itself is an enormous challenge but (Richard) Durst has done a fantastic job of creating the sense of presence and openness and space," White said. "It's difficult to establish a sense of breadth and the wonderful sense of these big plains but what the set does is zero in on a vanishing point through the stage effects." Lighting helps set the mood.
White said the opera is important not only because it is the first full-length operatic performance of a Cather novel, but because it is the first since Cather's copyright expired. He said it will be enjoyable by a diverse audience. Many Nebraska high school music students will see a special showing of a final dress rehearsal before the Nov. 12 premiere through a university educational outreach.
Tickets for the performances, which are 8 p.m. Nov. 12 and 3
p.m. Nov. 14, are $14 for adults and $7 for students and
children. Call the Lied Center box office, (402) 472-4747, for
ticket information.
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