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K-State Today

February 28, 2024

K-State School of Music, Theatre, and Dance presents the comic opera 'Amelia Goes to the Ball'

Submitted by the School of Music, Theatre, and Dance

The School of Music, Theatre, and Dance will present Menotti's one-hour comic opera, "Amelia Goes to the Ball," at 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 1 and Saturday, March 2, and 2:30 p.m. Sunday, March 3, at McCain Auditorium.

With a cast of 18 of K-State's top vocal talents taking the stage, it will be a wonderfully charming evening with stunning vocals, comedic situations and glorious orchestrations.

The performers auditioned and were cast in mid-November. They have been under the musical direction of  Reginald Pittman since the first rehearsal on Jan. 23. Handling the stage direction and movement is theatre professor Jerry Jay Cranford, and the impressive 43-piece orchestra is conducted by Rachel Dirks. The design team is composed of K-State faculty James Davis, lighting; Dana Pinkston, costumes; Ben Stark, technical direction; Deb Bruner, guest scenic designer; Kyle McGuffin, McCain Auditorium sound supervisor; and Chuck Leonard, guest properties master.

More than 30 students have worked behind the scenes to craft this professional production led by student stage manager Logan Peralez and assistant stage manager Daphne Crews.

"Amelia Goes to the Ball" by Gian Carlo Menotti was first performed on April 1, 1937. Amelia, a wealthy socialite, is ready for the grandest ball of the season, but who will take her? Her husband or her lover ... or neither?

Are you coming to the ball? Tickets are available online or you can visit the K-State theatre homepage.

Opera flyer