By Tiffany Edwards , University Relations
UNCG Opera Theatre will bring the quintessentially American sound of Aaron Copland to campus this month. “The Tender Land,” Copland’s only full-length opera, will open on the Aycock Auditorium stage March 30 at 7:30 p.m., with repeat performances March 31 at 7:30 p.m. and April 2 at 2 p.m.
UNCG Opera Theatre, joined by members of the UNCG symphony orchestra, will present the story of a Midwestern farm girl, Laurie, who falls in love with a traveling stranger during the Depression.
“The Tender Land” premiered in 1954 in New York. The libretto by Horace Everett was inspired by photographs taken by Walker Evans of sharecroppers that had appeared in James Agee’s book “Let Us Now Praise Famous Men.”
The naturally flowing vocals are set against folk-inspired melodies. Of special note are the aria, “Laurie’s Song;” the quintet, “The Promise of Living;” and the chorus, “Stomp Your Foot.”
During a 1980 interview with NPR’s Fred Calland, Copland said, “It’s meant to make a kind of a warm and personal feeling rather than a big dramatic number on the operatic stage.”
David Holley, director of opera at the UNCG School of Music, is the stage director and Robert Gutter, director of orchestra, is the musical director. The cast - which includes a 30-member chorus - features Lauren Sims (Beth Moss), Sandra Cotton (Ma Moss), Julie Celona-VanGorden (Laurie Moss), James McClure (Grandpa Moss), Daniel Hinson (Martin), and Neal Sharpe (Top).
Tickets are $15 for general admission. Discounts are available for seniors and students ($12), UNCG Alumni Association members ($11), groups of 10 or more ($9) and UNCG students ($6). Call the university box office at (336) 334-4849. For more information about the UNCG Opera Theatre, visit www.opera.uncg.edu.
