Music Department to present opera,
The Elixir of Love, Feb. 4-5

Jan. 18, 2005--The Department of Music at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro will present The Elixir of Love, a two act comic opera by Gaetano Donizetti at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 4 and 5, in Fowler Center’s Drama Theatre.

The poor and simple peasant Nemorino, unhappy at the rich Adina’s apparent indifference toward him, becomes even more miserable when she engages in a lively flirtation with Sergeant Belcore. From the itinerant quack doctor Dulcamara, Nemorino buys a love potion (in reality nothing more potent than wine), with money obtained by selling his services to the army.

His sudden self-confidence so annoys Adina that she decides to marry Belcore on the spot; still, she delays when Nemorino fails to appear for the ceremony. She finds him happily drunk and surrounded by girls, who have heard that he has just inherited a fortune. Spurred by jealousy, she buys Nemorino’s army contract and bestows her hand on him.

The music and stage director is Julia Lansford, Dr. Neale Bartee conducts the orchestra and Ellen Philpot serves as rehearsal accompanist. The cast includes Cassie Black, senior vocal major from Searcy, as Adina, a wealthy and capricious farm-keeper; Jonathan Shields, sophomore vocal major from Paragould, as Nemorino, a young simple peasant in love with Adina; Andrew Kjorlaug, senior vocal major from Paragould, as Belcore, Sergeant of the village garrison; Keith Westbrook, senior vocal major from Benton, as Doctor Dulcamara, a traveling physician; and Sylenia Lewis, junior vocal major from Jonesboro, as Giannetta, a peasant girl.  

The chorus of peasants includes: Kristina Kellems, Tara Skinner, Rachel Warnick, Matt Vardell, and Paul Harrell, all of Jonesboro; Lilly Miller, Mayflower; Jamie Thompson, Rison; Krystal Story, Camden; Crystal Stormes, Brookland; Josh Dennis, Springfield, Mo.; Derrick Moore, Forrest City; Josh Wilcoxson, Kennett, Mo.; Edmond Hampton, Fort Smith; and Patrick Manes, Bryant.

The soldiers will be played by Jon Stevenson of Little Rock; Perry Harper of Paragould; and Jonathan Schug of Brookland.

Tickets prices are $7 at the door and $6 in advance. Tickets can be purchased at the ASU ticket office, online at http://tickets.astate.edu or by calling (870) 972-2781.

For more details, please call the Department of Music at (870) 972-2094.

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