A classic children's fairy tale, nuns imperiled by the Reign of Terror and a jolly Shakespearean character with big appetites make up the 2016 season from the Midwest Institute of Opera. It kicks off on Monday, July 25 at the Illinois State University Center for the Performing Arts.
John and Tracy Koch from MIO are in the business of helping to create the next generation of opera performers -- and opera fans. This season runs the gamut from high comedy to deep tragedy and highlights the strengths of the up and coming performers. The company is staging 'Hansel and Gretel,' 'The Dialogues of the Carmelites,' and 'Fastaff,' which was the last opera composed by Verdi, but his first full-on comic opera.
Despite the comedy, there was near-tragedy with the MIO production. "We lost our Falstaff last week," explained MIO's John Koch. "And we only had one, Jared Johnson. We didn't have a backup. We actually planned this production for him because he's so funny and has the right voice for it. A week ago he fell down a flight of stairs and had some severe injuries."
But the show must go on. While Johnson will recover, he can't perform. Falstaff is a very specialized role, so just anyone else won't do. The Kochs did some searching and found Joshua Conyers, who has performed the role before. "We were lucky to find him," said John Koch. "It's going to be very exciting."
The MIO season also includes Engelbert Humperdinck's 'Hansel and Gretel,' which Tracy Koch is directing, with a modern flair. Instead of gingerbread children, Koch is turning the characters into zombies in the show.
'The Dialogues of the Carmelites' is by French composer Francis Poulenc and is based on a true historical event that took place during the French Revolution, when religious sects were persecuted and executed.
