In Burke Recital Hall, centuries of tradition will meet fresh, curious voices when students from Denison’s Opera workshop perform a selection of short scenes from Mozart’s operas in an intimate, studio-style setting. Scenes from Mozart makes opera accessible to both performers and enjoyers of the arts.
Students from studio instructor Emily Noël’s opera ensemble meet twice a week to practice their pieces and learn opera singing techniques. Many students don’t have much previous experience in opera. The aim of this ensemble — the only one of its kind on campus — is to teach students that opera doesn’t need to be an inaccessible, hard-to-reach performance art.
The performance also creates a space on campus for others to enjoy opera in a more digestible fashion. While typical full-length operas last around three hours, Scenes from Mozart will run for 90 minutes. An English translation of the Italian lyrics will be provided as well.
Gabby Belmonte ’27
“My favorite part is that there are people with all different kinds of skillsets in this show and lots of different voice types, yet we’re still all singing opera,” says Gabby Belmonte ’27, a performer in the show.
Belmonte, a junior psychology major and visual arts minor, first became involved in the opera ensemble last year. Like many members of the ensemble, she had no prior opera experience but has learned to appreciate the art and has grown as a singer because of it. “It’s super cool and awesome,” she says.
In her second year in the ensemble, Belmonte is now stepping into a featured role. She will be playing Marcellina in a scene from The Marriage of Figaro, alongside sophomore Sage Szucs as Susanna. The duet, “Vi resti servita,” is a fast-paced comedic exchange between two rivals. Belmonte, a member of the Burpee’s Seedy Theatrical Company, excels at scenes that require crisp comedic timing. Being in a featured role has helped Belmonte appreciate the strength of her voice and her ability to sing classically.
The 16-person ensemble meets twice a week to practice, making it accessible to students with even the busiest of schedules. All three operas the students are studying feature comedic elements, making the program engaging for audiences of all backgrounds.
“Opera is for everyone,” says Belmonte. “Everyone can listen to opera. If you want to sing opera, you can. It requires practice and hard work, but it’s not an elitist thing. Anyone can enjoy it.”
Scenes from Mozart
Thursday, Nov. 20, 7 p.m.
Burke Recital Hall, Eisner Center
