Audience members will be going through a gamut of emotions during Indianapolis Opera’s shows.
“You couldn’t have more of a contrast of one-act operas,” Indianapolis Opera principal conductor Alfred Savia said.
Savia will serve as the musical director for the Indianapolis Opera’s Contemporary Workshop Series production of “Gallantry” and “Veterans Journeys” at the Basile Opera Center, 4011 N. Pennsylvania St., Indianapolis. The shows will be at 4 p.m. March 25-26.
“Veterans Journeys” is an opera by composer and psychiatrist, Dr. Kenneth Wells. This will be the Midwest premiere.
“It’s a heartfelt composition with poignant musical settings of putting in the minds of these veterans,” Savia said. “I had never really thought about what their mindsets are and what they are going through after being in combat.”
Dalton Woody and Shederick Whipple are performing as the veterans.
Savia said Woody’s character is going through some heart-breaking issues.
“There are ensemble pieces that are like choral numbers that are really very moving,” Savia said. “To me, it’s very reminiscent of Leonard Bernstein’s writing.”
“Gallantry” was written by Douglas Moore in the 1950s with an operatic take on the TV soap operas of that era.
“It’s a 30-minute little gem,” Savia said. “As I told the singers, you have to figure out how to sing vocally with your tongue firmly planted in your cheek.”
The parody follows a love triangle between a surgeon, his nurse and their patient.
“It’s all done masterfully with music,” Savia said. “I’m looking forward to our audiences’ reaction to one of my favorite one-act operas.”
Jessica Burton is serving as director for the one-act operas.
“I love ‘Gallantry” for its off-the-wall humor, while ‘Veteran Journeys’ is deeply meaningful to me as a military brat,” Burton said. “I hope that you fall in love with this touching story of vets and their journey through PTSD as much as I have.”
For more, visit indyopera.org.
