New World School of the Arts Presents Comedic Opera with Bitches and Cougars

Are you tired of collection companies harassing you during your lunch break or pesky foreclosure notices being stapled to the front door of your house? Then New World School of the Arts has a temporary cure for your depressing financial situation.

Students from New World will be performing in two operas for your amusement. Amusement, you ask? Aren't operas usually melodramatic tearjerkers? Well, usually, yes, but the wise folks at New World thought better of regaling us with the emotional devastation of La Traviata or Madame Butterfly and are putting on two comedic operas instead.

Donizetti's Rita tells the story of a wretch of a woman who makes her

husband miserable -- her current husband that is. Her first husband, who

everyone believed to be dead, comes back for his beloved. One man's

trash is another man's treasure.

John Duke's Captain Lovelock involves a case of mistaken identity and a

cougar. We don't mean a real, roaring, claw your face off cougar, but

more of a Courtney Cox type cougar. NWSA faculty member and New Times 100 Creatives, Elena Maria Garcia,

will provide the stage direction and Maestro Alfred Gershfeld will

direct the NWSA Orchestra.

Garcia says, "My approach was not to think of Rita and Captain Lovelock

as operas, but as stories. When you look at a score and hear those

amazing voices, it can be a bit intimidating." 

What does she think that the audience will get out of the double

billing? "I hope the audience will not only leave humming the songs, but

leave knowing that they laughed and enjoyed themselves. The characters

are fun and easy to relate to, as well as, the story lines."  

Remember folks, this opera is supposed to be fun. Jim Gasior, the

interim dean of music at NWSA says, "Rita and Captain Lovelock are fun,

and colorful productions. The students, director, and faculty have been

hard at work; we are excited to show off this music and the talent and

hard work of our students."

Forget about the foreclosure for one night and catch the double feature

on Friday and Saturday at the Gusman Center for the Performing Arts (174 E.

Flagler St., Miami). Falsettos begin at 7:30 p.m. and tickets cost $10

for general admission and $5 for students and seniors. Call 305-237-7855

or visit nwsa.mdc.edu.

• Theater