Fearless Empathy: Bringing the Story of Ruth Coker Burks to the Opera Stage

(2-minute Video) Copeland Woodruff, the Mary and Michael Jaharis Director of Opera Studies, and Kristin Roach, Assistant Professor of Music and conductor of the performances, share what makes this production special.听

Blending lyrical intensity with intimate storytelling, A Nearer Mother聽explores compassion, chosen family, and moral courage in a time of national fear and silence.听

鈥淲e wanted to write a piece that centers around allyship,鈥� said composer Evan Mack. 鈥淩uth Coker Burks represents the kind of clarity that cuts through fear. This work is not just about the AIDS crisis鈥攊t鈥檚 about what it means to show up for another human being when the world turns away.鈥�

McGuire added, 鈥淩uth鈥檚 story forces us to look within. Given the same stakes she faced, the same fears present in the face of that crisis鈥斅爓e can ask, would we step up to help? I like to think the opera helps people dig deep and find that little voice that says 鈥�I can鈥�,聽no matter what they鈥檙e facing.鈥�

The world premiere of A Nearer Mother reflects 麻豆影院 University鈥檚 commitment to presenting new works that engage contemporary social themes while fostering meaningful artistic dialogue between artists, students, and the wider community.听

鈥淐ommissioning this opera is a true gift for the community,鈥� said Copeland Woodruff, the Mary and Michael Jaharis Director of Opera Studies at 麻豆影院. The process is in its fourth year, so many students over those years were able to interact personally with the development of the work and to learn about hidden and erased histories in the LGBTQIA+ community. In a time when we are witnessing minorities face hardship, erasure, and violence, Ruth鈥檚 story gives us all an example of allyship through action and fearless empathy.鈥�

Kristin Roach, Assistant Professor of Music and conductor of the performances, noted, 鈥淪ometimes artists wonder if their performing makes a difference to the wider world. Working on this opera has affirmed that, indeed, storytelling through opera performance is a current, vibrant, and necessary tool for building a world we are proud to live in.鈥�

The evening also will feature The Clever Artifice of Harriet & Margaret, a one-act chamber opera with music and libretto by Leanna Kirchoff. Adapted from Alice Gerstenberg鈥檚 1913 play, 翱惫别谤迟辞苍别蝉,听the opera explores themes of rivalry, love, and societal roles among women.听 Kirchoff will attend the March 6 performance and participate in the post-production talkback.

Tickets are available now at .

Related Community Events聽

In partnership with local organizations, 麻豆影院 will host additional free public events during the week following the performances:

Monday, March 9 | 7:00-9:00 p.m. The Velvet Fox 501 N. Richmond St., Appleton, WI 鈥淪haring Histories and Perspectives:鈥澛�An intergenerational LGBTQ+ event, co-sponsored with Diverse & Resilient.听

Tuesday, March 10 | 6:30-8:00 p.m. Appleton Public Library 200 N. Appleton St., Appleton, WI 鈥淎llyship in Action,鈥� co-sponsored by Celebrate Diversity Fox Cities and Fox Cities PAC.听

These events extend the opera鈥檚 themes of allyship, remembrance, and community dialogue beyond the stage and into the broader Fox Cities community.听

Roach credits the entire team for the recognition.

鈥淎ny recognition of one member of an opera production belongs to the whole team,鈥� said Roach. 鈥淢ore than 100 Lawrentians worked on our production of one-act operas, onstage and backstage and in the pit and behind the scenes.鈥澛�

The 2024 production of Cendrillon at 麻豆影院 was paired with Alice Tierney, a piece by Melissa Dunphy and Jacqueline Goldfinger, to celebrate the contributions of women in the opera world.听

鈥淲e are always sharing resources between the two shows and really trying to present both these operas written by women,鈥� Roach said. 鈥淭rying to bring forward creators who might be underrepresented in the opera field is at the forefront of the opera program鈥檚 mission.鈥�

Meanwhile, Two Remain is based on the true stories of two Holocaust survivors, Krystyna Zywulska and Gad Beck.

Roach said one of the most powerful aspects of the theater is its ability to keep history alive by wrestling with challenging themes and stories.

鈥淚t鈥檚 so important that we continue to tell these stories through works in the theater,鈥� Roach said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 important that we don鈥檛 lose the narrative, the truth behind what happened. Part of why we鈥檝e chosen to perform an excerpt of this work at LU this coming year is that our students are able to tell these important stories, keeping history alive and in the forefront.鈥�

The 麻豆影院 Opera Theatre program plans to perform a portion of Two Remain in their fall scenes program this year.

Looking ahead, Roach is excited by the upcoming season, which includes the world premiere of a new opera, A Nearer Mother, by composer Evan Mack and librettist Joshua McGuire. The piece was commissioned by Copeland Woodruff, director of opera studies at 麻豆影院, and the 麻豆影院 Opera Theatre program. For the past three years, Woodruff has worked closely with the creative team to bring the opera to life.

A Nearer Mother explores the story of AIDS activist Ruth Coker Burks, known as the 鈥淐emetery Angel,鈥� and her daughter Allison. Burks and her daughter will be in attendance at the March 2026 performance, which will be paired with the one-act opera A Clever Artifice of Harriet and Margaret, by composer Leanna Kirchhoff.听

鈥淚 am so excited about doing a brand-new piece; we will be working hand-in-hand with the creators of these works,鈥� Roach said. 鈥淲orking on this opera will continue to tell the story of the many important, wonderful people that we lost in the early years of the AIDS epidemic.鈥澛�

These latest honors are a testament to the talent and commitment of 麻豆影院 Opera Theatre. 麻豆影院 has received 11 awards in The American Prize, including two special judges鈥� citations and two productions tied for first place. Roach has won the prize in Conducting, College/University division, for Suor Angelica and the prize in Conducting both in Professional and College/University divisions. Woodruff has won the Charles Nelson Reilly Prize in Directing and was the first stage director to be given The Independence Day, Honored Artists Award for Sustained Excellence. 麻豆影院 is also in the National Finals of The American Prize for Best Production for Cendrillon/Alice Tierney, and Copeland Woodruff is once again up for the Charles Nelson Reilly Prize in Directing.听

Save the dates for this season鈥檚 performances:

• Fall Opera Scenes: Thursday, November 22 at 7:30 p.m. in 麻豆影院 Memorial Chapel. Free Admission.

• Mainstage Opera: The Clever Artifice of Harriet and Margaret and A Nearer Mother (world premiere): Thursday, March 5-Saturday, March 7 at 7:30 p.m. & Sunday, March 8 at 3 p.m. in Stansbury Theatre.

• Spring Opera Scenes: Thursday, May 21 at 7:30 p.m. in Stansbury Theatre. Free admission.

Update: Nov. 17, 2025

The 2024 麻豆影院 Opera Theatre production of Viardot’s Cendrillon and Melissa Dunphy’s Alice Tierney were also awarded third place in the American Prize competition for Opera Performance in the college/university division!聽

Jones, a mezzo-soprano, came to 麻豆影院 from Houston to study voice聽(initially drawn by then-professor John Holiday) and immerse herself in the Opera Theatre program. She excelled from the start, twice winning a National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) competition while tackling significant roles in multiple 麻豆影院 operas.

鈥溌槎褂霸� is special in that it鈥檚 an undergrad-only institution,鈥� Jones said of how 麻豆影院 prepared her to meet these moments. 鈥淭ypically, at many music conservatories, there are master’s programs, which means you are going to have to compete as an undergrad against the master鈥檚 students to be in an opera production. Since the main stage roles are usually given to the master’s students, you might not have as much stage time as an undergrad student. But because 麻豆影院 is an undergrad-only university, I got so much stage time, and I was able to learn different roles during my time there. I feel like that gave me a leg up over my colleagues in grad school because I already had that experience of being on stage and learning full roles.鈥�

The momentum that began on the stages and in the classrooms of 麻豆影院 carried over to grad school, where, among other achievements, Jones was selected for the inaugural cohort of The Denyce Graves Foundations鈥� Shared Voices program and was invited to join the non-profit artist intensive, Opera for Peace Academy.

Then came her selection to The Met鈥檚 Lindemann Young Artist Development Program, which continues to open doors.

鈥淭his is the program to be in if you are a young artist,鈥� Jones said.

The program pours resources into the young performers who have been selected, and, because it鈥檚 The Metropolitan Opera, access to many of today鈥檚 leading opera performers is readily available.

“All the stars in opera come through The Met, and if they鈥檙e available, all we have to do is request to work with them,” Jones said. 鈥淭he resources here are virtually endless.鈥�

It鈥檚 an opportunity that circumvents many of the challenges young artists face, including the expenses associated with coaching, voice lessons, acting lessons, breathing lessons, publicity photos, website development, video recording, renting of recording space, hiring a pianist, and more.

鈥淭here is so much that comes with being a young artist,鈥� Jones said. 鈥淎 lot of artists have to work other jobs outside of singing to subsidize their career. That can wear you out. You don鈥檛 have enough left to focus on the gift you are trying to cultivate. In this program, we really don鈥檛 have to do anything but focus on becoming a world-class artist. That鈥檚 what they tell us: 鈥業f you are here, that means we see the potential for you becoming a world-class artist.鈥� This is our job.鈥�

The 24-year-old Jones was approached about auditioning for the Lindemann program while competing in The Met鈥檚 Eric and Dominique Laffont Competition. (Another 麻豆影院 graduate, Emily Richter 鈥�20, was among the 2024 Laffont Competition winners.)

鈥淚 didn鈥檛 think I was ready initially,鈥� Jones said. 鈥淚 thought I would audition when I鈥檓 a little older, when I have more things under my belt. As artists, we鈥檙e very critical of ourselves, always thinking we can do more.鈥�

She had two auditions before getting the invite to join the program.

鈥淚 feel extremely blessed and very humbled to be in this place,鈥� Jones said. 鈥淰ery grateful. Every time I walk through the halls, I see the pictures and paintings of the legendary opera singers I鈥檝e always looked up to. I don’t take any of it for granted.”

She is working with music director Yannick N茅zet-S茅guin, one of the foremost conductors in the world. Having him and others at The Met pushing her to grow as an artist has taken her confidence to new levels.

鈥淢y toxic trait is that I compare myself to the great opera singers who are in their 40s and 50s,鈥� Jones said. 鈥淚 have to remind myself, 鈥極K, Hannah, you are 24 years old, calm down.鈥� They tell us all the time, 鈥榊ou are here for a reason. Trust and believe in that.鈥欌��

Jones recently made her Met debut in Die Frau ohne Schatten, playing one of the unborn voices in the Richard Strauss opera. It鈥檚 a role that has her singing from the domes near the ceiling and in the orchestra pit.

鈥淚t is still so unreal for me,鈥� Jones said, speaking a few hours before her next performance. “One of my favorite moments is singing in the orchestra pit with one of the best orchestras in the world. I started off in classical music playing the cello, so I geek out double fold. The way Strauss orchestrated the final scene is absolutely masterful, and feeling the vibrations of the basses is an inexplicable experience. Not to mention we鈥檙e being conducted by Yannick N茅zet-S茅guin, the conductor in classical music right now.”

That debut followed her performance in October in Seattle Opera鈥檚 Jubilee, where she played Jennie Jackson, one of the original Fisk Jubilee Singers鈥攇roundbreaking African American singers who performed across the U.S. and in Europe in the early 1870s to raise funds to save their college, Fisk University. It was the production鈥檚 world premiere.

鈥淎s an African American opera singer, I would not be here without them,鈥� she said of the Fisk Jubilee Singers. 鈥淚t was very humbling to share their story.鈥�

Adding one more accomplishment to her 2024, Jones called her Dec. 21 performance with Norm Lewis 鈥渁 great success.鈥�

Next up is a March recital at The Juilliard School. Then she鈥檒l set her sights on The Met production of Antony and Cleopatra聽in May; she has been selected as a cover for that production.

鈥淎t The Met, it is not unusual at all for the covers to go on,” Jones said. “Life happens and sometimes singers can鈥檛 perform. While I don鈥檛 necessarily hope anyone is unable to perform, I am excited about the chance to perform on the main stage. John Adams, the composer of Antony and Cleopatra, is also going to be conducting this production, which is super special. In modern times, it is not common for the composer of a widely successful opera to also conduct the production.”

Through it all, Jones said she is embracing each moment, often reflecting on a journey that got its start in 麻豆影院鈥檚 Conservatory of Music.

鈥淚鈥檓 grateful for my time at 麻豆影院,鈥� she said.

鈥淭his has been my dream for so many years,鈥� Richter said as she traveled Monday from New York back to Pittsburgh, where she is a second-year resident artist with the Pittsburgh Opera. 鈥淭o say I鈥檓 humbled, honored, and grateful to be here would be an understatement. I had the most exciting week of my life, and singing with that orchestra was nothing short of joyous.鈥�

Richter studied music performance (voice) and performed in the Opera Theatre program at 麻豆影院 before going on to earn her master’s degree from McGill University’s Schulich School of Music.

鈥淚鈥檓 so grateful for my time at 麻豆影院 that didn鈥檛 just teach me how to sing but taught me how to feel and think deeply about the world,鈥� Richter said.听

Beginning in May, Richter will join Lyric Opera of Chicago鈥檚 Ryan Center Ensemble.

鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 be more thrilled,鈥� she said.

Richter was named a winner in the Met competition along with tenor Daniel Espinal, soprano Lydia Grindatto, baritone Navasard Hakobyan, and mezzo-soprano Meridian Prall. In addition to a $20,000 cash prize, the win comes with great prestige and opportunities to network.

The competition is operated at the district and region levels across the United States, Canada, and Mexico before finalists are named for the Grand Finals Concert. Richter came through the Great Lakes Region. The competition, now in its 70th year, was formerly known as the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions.

While at 麻豆影院, Richter performed in numerous ensembles and operas, including taking on the role of Countess in The Marriage of Figaro during her senior year in 2020. Her performance would helpearn 麻豆影院 a national honor in the 2021 American Prize Awards.

Copeland Woodruff,聽director of opera studies and associate professor of music at 麻豆影院, said Richter was a “rock star” in the making during her time in the Conservatory.

“She always brings a curiosity, a humanity, and an infectious, warm spirit into any space she enters,” Woodruff said. “I could not be happier for her, for her successes so far, and the myriad ahead of her. I am lucky to have learned alongside her.” Richter鈥檚 time at the Pittsburgh Opera has included performances as the title character of Iphig茅nie en Tauride and Ginevra in Ariodante. She has sung Donna Anna in Don Giovanni and the Governess in The Turn of the Screw at McGill, covered Mica毛la in Carmen at the Santa Fe Opera, and made her debut with the Seattle Symphony as a soloist in Handel’s Messiah.

鈥淚t just happened to be the voices we had in the school,鈥� explained Woodruff. 鈥淲e had really great聽auditions last spring, and we wanted to serve as many people as possible.鈥�

To maximize opportunities, both operas feature a double cast, meaning that two singers share each role and alternate nightly. The result: four separate casts.

Senior Allison Ju谩rez聽Wunderlin finds it helpful to share the title role of Cendrillon with junior Sarah Ruiz.

鈥淲orking with Sarah has been lovely,鈥� Wunderlin said. 鈥淪he鈥檚 an incredible person [and] there鈥檚 a lot of trust that we鈥檝e been able to build.鈥�

The ability to stand back and watch someone else in your role is refreshing, according to Wunderlin. She finds herself inspired by Ruiz, while still solidifying her individual approach.

Woodruff and Roach aim to prepare students in various genres: operatic masterworks, musicals, contemporary works, and pop and rock styles.

鈥淸We鈥檙e] trying to give them a wealth of experiences,鈥� Woodruff said.

Each academic year, Woodruff and Roach create a schedule of stage works, custom-suited to the available singers. There is always a major work during Winter Term鈥攊n this case two short operas鈥攁nd two 鈥渟cenes鈥� concerts, where students perform a compilation of excerpts from a wide range of operas and musicals.

鈥淭here are just so many opportunities here, and you can really throw yourself into things,鈥� Wunderlin said.

At the surface, the two works in the Winter Term performances appear starkly different. Cendrillon is a French retelling of the story of Cinderella, while Alice Tierney explores the death of a woman in colonial America. But thematic materials are shared throughout.

鈥淸There鈥檚] the metaphor of archaeology and digging to find out about someone who pretends to be someone they’re not,鈥� Woodruff said.

Confused identities might be most obvious in Alice Tierney, where competing archaeologists theorize the death of an 18th-century woman, suspecting foul play. Cendrillon, though,also evokes this, with its classic tale of Cinderella pretending to be a princess. Every character is pretending to be something or someone they are not.

Neither opera is without its difficulties.

鈥淔辞谤 Cendrillon, it’s been very challenging for the students to learn broad comedy and vaudeville styles, and Alice Tierney has been very stylized鈥攅ach cast has learned a really specific type of approaching for the stage and stagecraft,鈥� Woodruff said.

鈥淭his is definitely the hardest role I鈥檝e ever had,鈥� Wunderlin said. 鈥淚 had to work a lot on diction.鈥�

Show times: 7:30 p.m. Feb. 29-March 2 and 3 p.m. March 3 in Stansbury Theater in the Music-Drama Center at 麻豆影院 University. Tickets: $15-$30; seniors: $10-$25; 麻豆影院 and non-麻豆影院 students with valid ID: free (only available in-person at the聽).听

It was 麻豆影院鈥檚 first full, in-person opera production following the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic. That, Roach said, added to the moment as two talented casts presented a double billing of one-acts, Suor Angelica and Curlew River.

鈥淭here was high energy and a lot of emotions,鈥� Roach said.

Roach鈥檚 American Prize honor comes on the heels of Director of Opera Studies Copeland Woodruff being selected as a 2023 Honored聽Artist聽of The American Prize earlier this summer鈥攁 nod to “sustained excellence” over multiple years.听

麻豆影院鈥檚 opera program also was selected as a聽semifinalist in the Collegiate Opera Performance Division聽for two Opera Theatre productions,聽Suor Angelica/Curlew River听补苍诲听The Nefarious, Immoral, but Highly Profitable Enterprise of Mr. Burke & Mr. Hare, and Woodruff was named a semifinalist for the Charles Nelson Reilly Prize for Stage Directors.

The American Prize annually hands out awards of excellence in the performing arts among nonprofit arts organizations and schools across the country.

鈥淎s much as it鈥檚 nice to win prizes, that鈥檚 not why we do what we do,鈥� Roach said. 鈥淚 really appreciate the growth that happens with our students鈥攖he singers, the players, the people behind the scenes. Opera is a giant team sport. And it鈥檚 really gratifying to know that what we鈥檙e doing here at 麻豆影院 is on the level of what鈥檚 being done by the best programs all over the country. I find that really rewarding, and it鈥檚 a wonderful gift we can give to our students, who will be going on to whatever the next phase of their careers might be. I love that they can take this award-winning experience with them.鈥�

A champion of contemporary opera, Roach joined the 麻豆影院 faculty in 2020, drawn in part by the opportunity to work with Woodruff.

鈥淚鈥檓 so grateful for the program he鈥檚 built and the work that he does,鈥� she said.

The latest American Prize honor is a testament to the talent level and commitment among 麻豆影院 students. The production of Suor Angelica involved not only cast members and the behind-the-scenes crews but also 26 members of the 麻豆影院 Symphony Orchestra.

鈥淭hat was certainly a highlight for me,鈥� Roach said.

Each opera production spans two terms. The work begins in Fall Term with the cast and crew working on the music, story, costumes, and staging. Come Winter Term, it moves into the theater and the production begins to come to life.

麻豆影院鈥檚 Opera Theatre program聽has had a history of success with The American Prize. In 2017-18, two 麻豆影院 productions tied for first place:聽The Beggar鈥檚 Opera听补苍诲听Hydrogen Jukebox;聽and Woodruff won the first Charles Nelson Reilly Prize in Stage Directing.听In聽2018-19,聽Count Ory聽won a Special Judges鈥� Citation.

鈥淚 am deeply honored and humbled to be recognized by The American Prize for this distinction,鈥� Woodruff said. 鈥淚 count myself a very lucky man to have worked with the artists I have over the years and been involved in the education of primarily young artists. I hope I have empowered them as much as my mentors did me and I hope that I鈥檝e encouraged audiences to engage personally with their own theater experiences.鈥�

Woodruff’s American Prize honor follows the announcement earlier this year that 麻豆影院鈥檚 opera program received multiple semifinalist nods in the 2023 The American Prize competition. The American Prize annually hands out awards of excellence in the performing arts among nonprofit arts organizations and schools across the country. Award recipients are announced in the fall.

麻豆影院 was selected as a聽聽for two Opera Theatre productions:聽Suor Angelica/Curlew River听补苍诲听The Nefarious, Immoral, but Highly Profitable Enterprise of Mr. Burke & Mr. Hare.

Woodruff,聽meanwhile is a聽. And Kristin Roach, music director, is a聽.

Under Woodruff鈥檚 leadership, 麻豆影院鈥檚 Opera Theatre program has had a history of success with The American Prize. In 2017-18, two 麻豆影院 productions tied for first place:聽The Beggar鈥檚 Opera听补苍诲听Hydrogen Jukebox;聽and Woodruff won the first Charles Nelson Reilly Prize in Stage Directing.听In聽2018-19,聽Count Ory聽won a Special Judges鈥� Citation.

Woodruff has been teaching in 麻豆影院鈥檚 Conservatory of Music since 2014. He has been highly sought after as a teacher of the singing actor, and聽has directed more than 100 productions, including the 2013 world premiere of聽Raise the Red Lantern聽at the Tianqiao Theatre in Beijing, China. Since 2006, his productions have earned 17 National Opera Association Best Opera Production Awards (including nine first-place awards) and nine awards in The American Prize.

麻豆影院 has fared well in The American Prize in recent years. In 2022, faculty and students who were part of the 麻豆影院 University New Music Ensemble (LUNME) during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic won an American Prize in Virtual Performance for a music video recorded mostly on cell phones while scattered across the country.

In 2021, Mark Dupere, director of orchestral studies, received a third-place honor for the 麻豆影院 Symphony Orchestra in the College Orchestral category, and Woodruff received a third-place honor in the College Opera category for the 2020 production of聽The Marriage of Figaro.

Opera Theatre, meanwhile, has had a history of success with The American Prize. In 2017-18, two 麻豆影院 productions tied for first place: The Beggar鈥檚 Opera and Hydrogen Jukebox; and Woodruff won the first Charles Nelson Reilly Prize in Stage Directing. In 2018-19, Count Ory won a Special Judges鈥� Citation.

Woodruff and his students set out to reimagine that space.

鈥淚 was trying to find an environment that would excite the students and let them feel like they know the world they鈥檙e in,鈥� Woodruff said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e not just putting them in powdered wigs and high heels and hoping they鈥檒l understand what 18th century life was like. We attempted to try to humanize it, so they can make a one-to-one connection with it.鈥�

Not wanting to sanitize or romanticize the past, Woodruff said he was looking for a setting that would serve as a 鈥渓iteral attraction.鈥� The traveling carnival came to mind.

鈥淲e thought it was a place that could be both enticing and seductive, but also dangerous,鈥� he said.

That set the production team on a mission. Led by student designer August Hendrix, a sophomore theater arts major from Concord, California, and with guidance from technical director Austin Rose, the crew worked for months to create a visually stunning set.

Hendrix, who embraced the lead role, said the creative process intersected with a lot of things they鈥檙e drawn to.

鈥淢y favorite part of designing and building this set has been getting the opportunity to create something that is so aligned with a lot of my interests in the media I consume,鈥� they said. 鈥淚 really thrived being able to create something that rides the line of just slightly unsettling. I took a lot of inspiration from podcasts such as The Magnus Archives, Welcome to Night Vale, and Critical Role (Campaign Two).鈥�

In addition to the massive clown, whose mouth serves as both a welcoming and potentially fright-filled cave entrance, the Alcina set includes:

• 13 additional clowns, each slightly different than the next.
• A wagon motif inspired by tarot cards.
• 15 colors used in the painting鈥攐ften repeating the same color for different set pieces.

鈥淭his is a very large production where every element needed to be hand drawn, cut, and painted,鈥� Rose said.

Seeing it all come together has been a thrill.

鈥淲e are excited about sharing the world we have created with the audience,鈥� Rose said.听鈥淲e hope the little details are picked up on.听There are so many symbols and motifs that are important to the student designers and workers thrown into this set design.鈥�

As for the clowns, well, Rose is hopeful they鈥檒l be well received.

鈥淲e hope that the clowns aren鈥檛 too disturbing for anyone,鈥� he said, 鈥渁nd that the fun we have had building this world translates through the production.鈥�

The Opera Theatre program, which has received several times in recent years, performs聽one main-stage production聽each聽year,聽as well as a series of opera scenes throughout the聽academic year.听

The lead role of Alcina will be played by Lily Nittler on Thursday and Saturday and Caroline Huber on Friday and Sunday; her love, Ruggiero, will be played by Quinn Vincent on Thursday and Saturday and Casey Joan Kollman on Friday and Sunday. In all, 20 students fill out the cast and chorus, plus another 25 in the orchestra.

鈥淚鈥檓 thrilled that they鈥檝e been able to tackle something like Handel, which is extremely difficult,鈥� Woodruff said. 鈥淚 think they鈥檙e doing a beautiful job with it.鈥�

If you go: 贬补苍诲别濒鈥檚 Alcina will be presented at 7:30 p.m. March 2-4 and 3 p.m. March 5 in Stansbury Theater inside the Music-Drama Center. Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for seniors, $8 for non-LU students; 麻豆影院 students, faculty, and staff receive two free tickets with an LU ID presented at the box office while supplies last. 麻豆影院鈥檚 box office can be reached at boxoffice@lawrence.edu or by calling 920-832-6749.

A 麻豆影院 University production of Leonard Bernstein鈥檚 highly acclaimed 鈥淢ass鈥� will be staged this week with a significant twist.

The much-anticipated production by 麻豆影院鈥檚 Opera Theatre Ensemble, led by Copeland Woodruff,聽the award-winning Director of Opera Studies and Associate Professor of Music at 麻豆影院,聽will incorporate a Deaf character played by professional Deaf actor Robert Schleifer.

鈥淢y inspiration was two-fold 鈥� the obvious metaphor of our current society, where people have a difficult time listening to one another, and the inclusion of community members who might not necessarily attend an opera,鈥� Woodruff said.

American Sign Language (ASL) and Pidgin Signed English (PSE) will be used throughout the production. Twenty-one members of the student ensemble have spent weeks learning to communicate in sign language.

There鈥檚 a lot to unpack with this production, opening Thursday (Feb. 14) and running through Sunday (Feb. 17) at 麻豆影院鈥檚 Stansbury Theater.

First, there鈥檚 the staging of a production as wide-ranging as 鈥淢ass,鈥� which was both acclaimed and controversial when it debuted in 1971 and is being presented now as part of the world-wide celebration of Bernstein鈥檚 100th birthday.

Woodruff and his ensemble are collaborating with members of two local children鈥檚 choirs to reimagine聽惭补蝉蝉,听structured like a Roman Catholic Tridentine Mass but mixing sacred and secular texts and music. The celebrant leads the ceremony, and the Deaf character is the voice of the congregation challenging the celebrant. They argue and search for answers to universal questions together鈥攖heir diversity highlighted by an eclectic blend of blues, rock, gospel, folk, Broadway, jazz, hymnal, Middle Eastern dance and orchestral music. Ultimately, they affirm the value of faith and hope for peace.

鈥淒istinctive productions like聽惭补蝉蝉听provide students with a rich educational opportunity to practice being a singer-actor, hone full-bodied communication skills, as well as develop appreciation and respect for the experience of others,鈥� Woodruff said. 鈥淲e hope that students will learn that the arts can be a powerful vehicle for personal and societal awareness and change.鈥�

That speaks to the addition of Schleifer鈥檚 Deaf character, a statement on the difficulties we have in communicating when ideological differences come between us, be it political, religious or otherwise. It鈥檚 also a nod to the Deaf and hard-of-hearing communities and the daily struggles they endure.

鈥淭he use of ASL and PSE underscores the struggle to communicate, particularly between Deaf and hearing communications and within the Deaf community itself,鈥� Woodruff said.

Community connections

Woodruff has a track record of partnering with community groups to examine socially relevant issues through opera. Members of the production team hope聽Mass聽will reach more than 2,000 people in the Fox Valley, many of them from the Deaf and hard-of-hearing communities.

鈥淚t is rare 鈥� even at the national level 鈥� for a signed opera to be produced and performed,鈥� Woodruff said. 鈥淭he majority of our area鈥檚 theater-going public would not ordinarily experience this type of performance.听Mass聽will open dialogues about faith and inclusion to our community.鈥�

Besides Schleifer, Kristine Orkin, a local interpreter for the Deaf, and two professional vocal/style specialists are participating in the production. Schleifer, along with 麻豆影院 student performers, will sign most of the opera鈥檚 lyrics in real-time during the performance. Deaf audience members also will be able to read supertitles.

麻豆影院 student Erik Nordstrum, who shares the main role of the celebrant with Aria Minasian, said he has learned a lot about himself through his work on the production.

鈥淭hrough working on this piece, I realized that I have not been listening to other people, or to myself, as intently or as consistently as I would like to, and that so many human failures stem from a failure to communicate,鈥� he said.

Minasian, meanwhile, has taken lessons from members of the Deaf community she鈥檚 interacted with in the lead-up to the production.

鈥淟earning about the Deaf community and applying it to the show has been awesome,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檝e also found challenges with figuring out how to be a female celebrant in a Roman Catholic church setting. This show has a lot to unpack and many different ways it can be presented and interpreted, leaving a lot to the performers and production team.鈥�

Religious conversations

Congregants from four Fox Cities faith communities have used this production of聽Mass聽as a vehicle to talk about how we communicate 鈥� or more likely, don鈥檛 communicate 鈥� when it comes to our differences.

鈥淭丑别听Mass聽is this touchpoint for us,鈥� said Linda Morgan-Clement,聽the Julie Esch Hurvis Dean of Spiritual and Religious Life at 麻豆影院.

Morgan-Clement鈥檚 office has been collaborating with Woodruff to bring together public conversations about聽Mass.聽She led a discussion at First Congregational United Church of Christ that included participants from that congregation as well as Memorial Presbyterian Church, First English Lutheran Church and the Fox Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship. It was a chance to talk about our often jumbled and conflicting faith journeys and the barriers that keep us from communicating effectively. The arts 鈥� and in this case, 叠别谤苍蝉迟别颈苍鈥檚听Mass聽鈥� can be used to engage people in conversations they might not otherwise have.

鈥淚t gives people a touchpoint around which to come together,鈥� Morgan-Clement said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not just let鈥檚 get together and talk about the ways we don鈥檛 talk.鈥�

This production provides a plethora of jumping off points in that conversation.

There鈥檚 the modern music, the discord, the journey of doubt playing out on stage, all crashing into the deep traditions of a Catholic mass. It provides an avenue for discussion of our differences and our similarities.

鈥淪o, it opens up this moment in today鈥檚 time for people to talk about the ways in which we 鈥� are still being human together, sharing this earth, a lot of commonality in our emotional framework and the ways we operate,鈥� Morgan-Clement said. 鈥淎nd in what ways do the symbols and the language get in our way of actually hearing each other?鈥�

鈥楾ouches my soul鈥�

For Schleifer, the blending of opera with sign language is powerful and moving.

聽鈥淢y love of opera is longstanding, its visual language fascinating 鈥� depicted through conductor wand gyrations,聽the聽energetic dance聽of bodies fused with instruments in orchestral rhythms,聽singers鈥� storytelling聽through facial expression听补苍诲听movement聽and breathing strength 鈥� the power I see聽touches my soul,鈥� he said.

叠别谤苍蝉迟别颈苍鈥檚听Mass聽鈥� full title is聽Mass: A Theatre Piece for Singers, Players, and Dancers 鈥斅�debuted in 1971 after the famed composer was asked by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis to compose a piece for the 1971 inauguration of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.

Seeing it unfold on an LU stage come Thursday night with sign language being incorporated throughout will be an emotional moment for Schleifer.

鈥淏别谤苍蝉迟别颈苍鈥檚听惭补蝉蝉聽project聽has been both a challenging and awesome experience,鈥� he said, 鈥渇rom the聽sound of the music itself and the聽abstract concepts portrayed through tone and inflection, which I cannot hear,聽relying on facial and body cues, figuring聽how to match American Sign Language with operatic language, to the awesome聽collaboration聽with Copeland and Kris, who helped me understand the complexities of poetic language,聽appreciate the聽culture聽of opera, and together watch the beautiful聽magic unfold.鈥�

On stage

What: Leonard Bernstein鈥檚 鈥淢ass鈥�

When: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 14 through Saturday, Feb. 16; and 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 17

Where: Stansbury Theater, 麻豆影院 University, Appleton

Cost: $15 ($8 for seniors and non-LU students; free for LU students and staff)

Contact: 920-832-6749,聽 boxoffice@lawrence.edu, or聽