Expect “Chérubin,” the opera taking over the University Theater this weekend, to be delightful, cheery — and completely in French.
Even for those not fluent in French, the opera clearly expresses its light-hearted and flirty nature with the lively songs and ambience. It will still however be English-only audience friendly, because there will be supertitles projected above the stage to translate lyrics so it is possible to get a full understanding of the story.
The opera was originally written in 1905 by French composer Jules Massenet. It follows title character Chérubin on his seventeenth birthday. He is very flirtatious with every woman he meets, even though it is clear that there is only one girl who truly loves him. Then, Chérubin thinks he finds the love of his life, a glamorous celebrity. There are commotions, fights, drama and comedy throughout the opera as Chérubin struggles to figure out who his one true love really is.
The setting of “Chérubin” is a pastel-colored café in France, very fitting for spring considering that the set looks like an Easter egg basket. The opera’s colorful cafe theme is picked to fit the style of the students but, also fits the style of the spring season as well.
“[The opera] suits our students that we have at the moment – it basically features two mezzos and two baritones,” said conductor David Ives Anglin.
The student performers capture the tone of silliness of this comic opera well with their animated performance, showing that this was indeed a good choice.
Overall, the production is a fitting way to start the final half of the semester and is a distraction from the fact that spring break is over. It captures the essence of spring and creates a much needed stress-free environment in the final stretch toward summer.
Shows start at 8 p.m., Friday-Sunday, with 2 p.m. matinees Saturday and Sunday.
Tickets can be purchased online or at the box office. The price is $25 normally or $15 for students. The discount for students can only be redeemed by purchasing a ticket at the box office and showing a valid student ID.