Conservatory Opera

The Conservatory’s operas include two main stage operas each academic year, in the fall and spring, on White Recital Hall stage.  We also produce black box opera scenes in the spring semester.  Recent operas include Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute), The Turn of the Screw, Street Scene, The Merry WidowHänsel und Gretel, Dialogues des Carmélites, Don Giovanni, Così fan tutti, La bohème, Rodelinda, Suor Angelica and Gianni SchicchiThe Marriage of Figaro, Brook’s La tragédie de Carmen (after Bizet), and many others.

Academic Year 2019–20
Fall Opera, 2019

October 31–November 3, Rossini’s La cambiale di matrimonio and Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas. Oct. 31–Nov. 2, 7:30 p.m., WRH, Nov. 3, 2:30 p.m., White Recital Hall. Tickets $12 general public, FREE for UMKC faculty, staff, and all students with valid student or UMKC ID.

Spring Opera, 2020

March 19–22, Benjamin Britten’s Albert Herring,  March 19–21, 7:30 p.m., March 22, 2:30 p.m., White Recital Hall. Tickets $12 general public, FREE for UMKC faculty, staff, and all students with valid student or UMKC ID.

Academic Year 2018–19
Fall Opera, 2018

Nov. 15–18, La finta giardiniera, by W. A. Mozart, in Italian
Nov. 15–17, 7:30 p.m., White Recital Hall. Nov. 18, 2:30 p.m., White Recital Hall
Feigned identities, illicit intrigues and spurned lovers frolic and mourn within a hothouse of love and insanity in Mozart’s La finta giardiniera (The pretend garden-girl). UMKC Conservatory Opera explores a brilliant bouquet of tender lovers and even more tender egos. This opera buffa with roots in commedia but overtones of the more dramatic style of the period is a tale of betrayal and redemption that plays out in tuneful arias and intricate ensembles. It’s a delightful romp mixed with opera seria to keep the warm and wild nights of summer rolling right into the chill of November.

Academic Year 2017–18
Fall Opera 2017

October 26–29, Fall Opera, Hänsel und Gretel, by Engelbert Humperdinck, in German.
Oct. 26–28, 7:30 p.m.; Oct. 29, 2:30 p.m. White Recital Hall
Join UMKC Opera for a flavorful fairytale offering. With delightful, imaginative paper scenery by Jeff Ridenour and mouth-watering projections by Kris Kirkwood, this childhood tale is given a toothsome twist. Director Fenlon Lamb stirs in a couple tricks and Humperdinck’s lush orchestral harmonies combine with charming folk melodies for a pitch perfect treat.

Academic Year 2016–17

Spring 2017 Opera
March 23–25, Handel’s Rodelina, 7:30 p.m
., White Recital Hall, Conservatory Artist Series, Tickets $12 general public, UMKC faculty, staff, and all students FREE with UMKC or student ID.
March 26, matinee, 2:30 p.m., Tickets $12 general public, UMKC faculty, staff, and all students FREE with UMKC or student ID.

CLICK HERE FOR RODELINDA PHOTOS

April 25 and 27, Opera Scenes, 7:30 p.m., studio 116, James C. Olson Performing Arts Center, FREE, UMKC Opera Theatre presents selected scenes from favorite opera directed by Fenlon Lamb

Fall 2016 Opera
October 20–22, Puccini’s Suor Angelica and Gianni Schicchi, 7:30 p.m., White Recital Hall, Conservatory Artist Series, Tickets $12 general public, UMKC faculty, staff, and all students FREE with UMKC or student ID.
Oct. 23, matinee, 2:30 p.m., Tickets $12 general public, UMKC faculty, staff, and all students FREE with UMKC or student ID.

CLICK HERE FOR SUOR ANGELICA AND GIANNI SCHICCHI PHOTOS

Academic Year, 2015–16

The Conservatory is pleased to welcome Fenlon Lamb as our new Director of Opera and Assistant Teaching Professor.  Read more about Fenlon here.

Spring 2016 Opera

March 22–25, 2016, Spring Opera, Benjamin Britten’s The Turn of the Screw, directed by Fenlon Lamb, guest conducted by John Baril, 7:30 p.m., White Recital Hall, Tickets $12, FREE for all UMKC faculty, staff, and students with UMKC or other student ID.

Fall 2015 Opera

November 17–20, Fall Opera, Die Zauberflöte, (The Magic Flute) Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, (Conservatory Artist Series) directed by Fenlon Lamb, guest conducted by Andy Anderson, 7:30 p.m., WRH, Tickets $12, FREE for all UMKC faculty, staff, and students with UMKC or other student ID.   Cast List:  Sung in German with English dialogue

Tamino: Chad DeMaris, Derrek Stark, (Cover- Xin Shao); Pamina: Leah McIntire-Barnett, Ashley Wheat; Papageno: Alfredo Beltrán, Armando Contreras; Queen of the Night: Stephanie Meyer, TBA; Sarastro: Rhys Talbot; First Lady: Lindsey Allen, Grace Wallace, (Cover- Laura Powell); Second lady: Nicolette Nazarowski, Logan Snook; Third Lady: Kelly Birch, Alice Chung; Monostatos: Christopher Puckett, Vince Woods, (Cover- Garrett Torbert); Papagena: Kate Sikora, Sophia Zey; First Spirit: Shannon Lowe; Second Spirit: Nichole Kelly, (Cover- Elizabeth Snow); Third Spirit: Willow Parsons; Speaker: Samuel Lim; Priests: Garrett Torbert (tenor), Brandon Smith (bass); Armored Men: Aaron Redburn (tenor), Adam Edmonds (bass)

Little Women, March 17–20, 2015, photos

Spring Opera, 2015littlewomenoperasite

March 17–20, 2015, Mark Adamo’s Little Women, 7:30 p.m., White Recital Hall, tickets 816-235-6222

The Conservatory is pleased to present Mark Adamo‘s Little Women, based on the book by Louisa May Alcott about growing up in post-Civil War New England.  The production is guest directed by Fenlon Lamb, who last directed Cendrillon in 2013 for the Conservatory.  Ward Holmquist of the Lyric Opera of Kansas City will conduct.  Mark Adamo will be in residence at the UMKC Conservatory.

Conservatory faculty and students will perform work by Adamo and John Corigliano March 18 at The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, followed by 30 minutes of Q and A moderated by Dean Peter Witte.  The event, 5–6:30 p.m. is free, but tickets are required, nelson-atkins.org

This program and Mark Adamo’s residency are supported in part through a grant from the Patricia and Howard Barr Institute for American Composition Studies at UMKC.

Fall 2014 Opera

November 18–21, Fall Opera, Mozart’s Così fan tutte.  7:30 p.m. White Recital Hall, tickets, 816-235-6222

Academic Year 2013–14

Fall 2013 Opera

November 14–16 Fall Opera, Jules Massenet’s Cendrillon, 7:30 p.m., White Recital Hall, $12, $10 seniors, UMKC faculty, staff, and all students FREE with UMKC or student ID. Tickets, 816-235-6222

November 17 Fall Opera, Jules Massenet’s Cendrillon, 2:30 p.m., White Recital Hall, $12, $10 seniors, UMKC faculty, staff, and all students FREE with UMKC or student ID. Tickets, 816-235-6222

Spring 2014 Opera

March 13-15, Kurt Weill’s Street Scene, 7:30 p.m., White Recital Hall, $12, $10 seniors, UMKC faculty, staff, and all students FREE with UMKC or student ID.  Tickets, 816-235-6222.

March 16, Kurt Weill’s Street Scene, 2:30 p.m., White Recital Hall, $12, $10 seniors, UMKC faculty, staff, and all students FREE with UMKC or student ID. Tickets, 816-235-6222.

Opera Scenes, April 11-12, Nights in the Gardens of Spain, UMKC opera theatre presents selected scenes from favorite operas, 7:30 p.m., City Stage at Union Station, 30 W. Pershing Road, KCMO, FREE

Academic Year 2012–13

Opera Scenes

April 19–20, Night in a Museum, Opera Scenes, and MoreNight in a Museum happens after everyone except the curator has gone home. Museum sculptures come to life during the night and become characters from classical song literature.  The performances feature Conservatory vocal students, and one dance student. Choreography by Vashti Goracke, directed by Marciem Bazell.  April 19 and 20, 7:30 p.m., City Stage, Union Station, 30 West Pershing Road, Kansas City, MO, FREE, but reservations required, 816-460-2020.

Spring 2013 Opera

March 14–17, Benjamin Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.  Directed by Marciem Bazell and conducted by Robert Bode, this delightful opera in three acts is based on Shakespeare’s work of the same name.  March 14–16, 7:30 p.m., White Recital Hall, March 17, 2:30 p.m., White Recital Hall.  Tickets, $12, $10, seniors, UMKC faculty, staff, and all students FREE with UMKC or student ID.

Fall 2012 Opera

December 6–9, Franz Lehár’s The Merry Widow, Performed in German, directed by Marciem Bazell, this delightful operetta is a tale of suitors seeking the hand of a wealthy widow.  Elegant ladies, eligible bachelors, can-can dancing, and charm galore, are sure to please.  WRH, Dec. 6–8, 7:30 p.m., Dec. 9, 2:30 p.m., Tickets, $12, $10, seniors, UMKC faculty, staff, and all students FREE with UMKC or student ID.

Marriage of Figaro, photo credit: James Allison
Marriage of Figaro, photo credit: James Allison
Dialogues des Carmélites, photo: James Allison