Idaho Opera to perform ‘The Marriage of Figaro’ Nov. 14 at Idaho State University

Idaho State University’s A Season of Note will present Idaho Opera in “The Marriage of Figaro” at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14, at the Stephens Performing Art Center’s Jensen Grand Concert Hall.

One of the greatest operas ever written, “The Marriage of Figaro” is billed as a witty, yet profound tale of love, revenge and forgiveness set in the late 18th century. Figaro, valet to Count Almaviva, and Susanna, maid to the Countess, are set to be married, but the Count has his own designs on Susanna’s virtue. Naturally, Figaro is determined to prevent the Count from compromising his fiancée. What follows is a hilarious exercise in duplicity that leads to a blissful, memorable finale, all set to Mozart’s timeless music.

For more information on this group visit: www.operaidaho.org.

Tickets for the opera will cost $25 for adults and $15 for children in the lower balcony, and $21 for adults and $11 for children in the upper balcony.

Tickets can be purchased at the Stephens Center Box Office, over the phone at 282-3595 or online at www.isu.edu/tickets. They can also be purchased at Vickers Western Stores in Pocatello or Idaho Falls and at the ISU Pond Student Union. The Stephens Performing Arts Center Box Office is open one hour prior to show times.

This concert is part of ISU’s Opera week. Events surrounding Opera Idaho’s visit include a residency with the lead performers at each Pocatello high school, and a pre-opera discussion with Mark Junkert, executive director for Opera Idaho.

On Nov. 16, ISU will again host the Metropolitan Opera National Council District Auditions. The National Council Auditions program is designed to discover promising young opera singers and to assist in the development of their careers. Judges for the competition will be Grammy-nominated opera conductor Sara Jobin, internationally-renowned soprano Sally Wolf, and collaborative artist Thomas Muraco from the Manhattan School of Music.
The Department of Music has four students who will compete to advance to the Metropolitan Opera regional auditions: Emma Doupé, from Middleton; Jerrica Matthews, Bear Lake County; John Punt, Idaho Falls; and Lakota Terrace, Mackay. Audience members will also have the opportunity to vote for their favorite. Tickets for the competition on Saturday are $8 for adults, $6 for ISU faculty and staff and $4 for pre-college students. ISU students are admitted free.

Opera Week will finish on Nov. 17 with a master class featuring ISU music majors working with Thomas Muraco. Admission to the master class with Muraco is free.

ISU’s participants will present their programs at Pocatello’s First Friday Artwalk on Nov. 1 at Trinity Episcopal Church. The public is invited to the free preview of the students’ performances.
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