Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, May 16, 1990 TAG: 9005160197
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: E9 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Jeff DeBell
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Thursday's opening-night performance is sold out. A few seats remain for Saturday's show, and about half of the seats for Monday's final performance remain.
"La Boheme" is being presented in Olin Hall at Roanoke College, with each performance beginning at 8 p.m.
Southwest Virginia Opera artistic director Victoria Bond is conducting. Resident director Craig Fields is directing the staging.
Puccini's opera is being presented in Italian with English supertitles.
"La Boheme" is one of the world's best-loved operas. It is set in 19th century Paris and it concerns the Bohemian lives of four young artists and the ill-starred love affair between one of them, the mercurial poet Rodolfo, and a delicate seamstress named Mimi.
The romantic leads are sung by tenor Jeffrey Reynolds and soprano Karen Bogan, both of whom appeared in Southwest Virginia Opera's recent production of "The Magic Flute."
Soprano Jeralyn Refeld sings the part of Musetta and baritone Jeffrey Ambrosini appears as Marcello. Both are newcomers to Southwest Virginia Opera.
Another first-timer is baritone Christopher Kelly, who portrays Schaunard. Wayne Kompelian is Colline. He was the high priest, Sarastro, in "The Magic Flute."
Anthony Townsend plays the comic roles of Alcindro and Benoit. A former professional actor now studying at Virginia Tech, he is making his operatic debut in "La Boheme."
Sets are by John Sailer of Mill Mountain Theatre and costumes are by Adele Cantor of Roanoke College. Members of the children's chorus are drawn from the Roanoke College Children's Choir.
Tickets for "La Boheme" are available through the Olin Hall box office. They are $15 for adults and $13 for students and seniors. Group rates are available.
The box office number is 375-2333.
by CNB