Mansfield Opera Theatre to Present The Magic Flute

MANSFIELD, PA— The Mansfield Opera Theatre will present The Magic Flute on Friday, November 11 and Saturday, November 12 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, November 13 at 2:30 p.m. in Straughn Hall. All performances are free and open to the public.
The opera is sung in English with orchestra, the dialogue is spoken and the production is fully staged with costuming.
The Magic Flute was chosen purposefully by Todd Ranney, who brought opera back to MU last year with the production of Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro. “I like to promote opera in the vernacular,” Ranney said. “Especially in rural areas like ours that have less access to it.”
According to Ranney, this is one of the most popular operas because it is a comedy suitable for all ages. An allegorical fantasy, it is full of fairies, monsters, and romance. Of course there is a beautiful maiden in need of rescue, a man who may be part bird, and a prince armed with, you guessed it, a magic flute.
Ranney has created a culture of opera at the University, which has long been renowned for its music department. There was no problem getting enough students for the even larger cast than last year.
When asked what he enjoyed about this opera, student Josh Hartman laughed and said, “Besides it’s Mozart and it’s wonderful?”
Melanie De Jesus added, “It’s such a great way to go out with a bang. I’m graduating this year and am learning so much I’ll take with me as a teacher.”
Both seniors and music education majors, Hartman and De Jesus emphasized how much they are learning about performing as well as running a complex musical production—something they will be doing, they hope, in the near future as they begin their careers.
The opera is co-directed by Ranney, who staged and produced it, and Youngsuk Kim who conducted the vocalists. The production also features the Mansfield University String Chamber Orchestra under the direction of Kenneth Sarch.
The Mansfield Opera Theatre is made possible by support from student activity fees and the MU Music Department.