DalOpera brings a modern voice to a timeless classic with its upcoming mainstage production of Little Women, a contemporary opera with music and text by American composer Mark Adamo.
Directed by Roberta Barker and music directed by Cindy Townsend, the performances run Nov. 27-29 at 7:30 p.m. in the Sir James Dunn Theatre, with a matinee at 2 p.m. on Nov. 30.
Based on Louisa May Alcott鈥檚 1868 novel, Little Women is a coming-of-age story that follows four sisters 鈥� Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy 鈥� as they navigate friendship, first love, illness, and self-discovery.听Various interpretations across art forms have explored these themes in different ways over the years, including Greta Gerwig鈥檚 2019 film.
鈥淚 think Mark Adamo was most interested in the idea of how we deal with change,鈥� says Barker, 鈥渁nd realizing that no matter how much we love other people and how close they are to us, their lives grow in directions that we may not be able to control.鈥�
Caralina Knights, left, as Alma March with Jonathon Kean as Gideon March.
Bonds of sisterhood
In this production, some characters are played by different performers on alternate nights, creating more opportunities for students. Caralina Knights plays the youngest sister, Amy, and Alma 鈥淢armee鈥� March. Caralina, who created the artwork for the DalOpera poster, shares a love of drawing with Amy. In real life, she is the eldest of three sisters and feels her experience as part of a close-knit family makes the story very relatable.
鈥淢y middle sister just started going to university this year, she goes to Dal, and my little sister is at home with my mom and dad,鈥� says Caralina. 鈥淚t鈥檚 really interesting . . . what happens when families [change] over time . . . and to see that with the characters.鈥�
Stephen Deturbide, left, as John Brooke with Raphaelia Bokolas as Meg.
Ella Howard, who plays the roles of Meg and Amy on alternate nights, is among many students who say they love the collaborative aspect of the opera.
鈥淚'm working with some of my closest friends,鈥� says Ella. 鈥淭o play their sisters is so amazing for me, and it's probably my favourite part of this whole process.鈥�
Adding colour
Corinne James, one of two singers cast as Jo, says she appreciates the ways in which the DalOpera productions collaborate across the Fountain School of Performing Arts and the talented students who work behind the scenes to help make it happen.
鈥淓very year, the opera has student stage managers and student crew. This is pretty unique to this program, and it's amazing,鈥� says Corinne. 鈥淚t's students who build the set. It's students who do the costumes.鈥�
Shown right: Elizabeth Ruxton as Jo, left, with Karina Matys as Friedrich Bhaer.
Diego Cavedon Dias, who designed the costumes and helps the students build them, revealed that each of the sisters is connected to an individual colour that mirrors her personality and energy. Student Grace George was assigned to build Jo鈥檚 costume, her first time creating something tactile for a DalOpera show, and says she鈥檚 鈥渘ever been so happy with a project.鈥�
鈥淚 think Jo, as a character, has always spoken to me,鈥� says Grace. 鈥淚鈥檓 really glad that this is my first taste of being part of the creative process.鈥�
鈥淢ore than the sum of its parts鈥�
Adamo鈥檚 adaptation of Little Women is a formidable opera for singers at any level of experience. Students started learning their music over the summer to prepare for the intense fall rehearsal process.听
While it might not be easy to sing, Barker says this is an accessible opera for listeners, featuring 鈥渞omantic earworm melodies that are really going to be attractive to audiences.鈥�
Elizabeth Ruxton, who also plays Jo, describes stepping into the iconic character鈥檚 shoes as 鈥渆xciting and intimidating,鈥� but says she feels supported.
鈥淐indy [Townsend] is a really big inspiration,鈥� says Elizabeth. 鈥淛ust getting to work with her has been wonderful. And in rehearsal, a lot of the time, I get [my inspiration] from my other cast members, because they're all so generous. It's just so fun to play off of everything that they give you.鈥澨�
Jordan Gracie as Laurie, with ensemble members of听Little Women
Townsend says she has really enjoyed watching the students grow and support each other during this process.
鈥淭his opera . . . has challenged them far more musically than many other experiences that they've had,鈥� says Townsend, 鈥淎nd they've all shared that it has made learning other repertoire much more accessible for them.鈥�
Barker says one of the many valuable skills students gain from being part of an opera is teamwork and building towards 鈥渟omething that is more than the sum of its parts.鈥�
鈥淭hose are lessons that you can take into anything you end up doing in your life, which in a way maybe goes back to Little Women itself 鈥� it's about a family, and the idea that it's really the experience that the whole group of people has together that forms each one of them.鈥�
Little Women credits: Directed by Roberta Barker, Musical Direction by Cindy Townsend, Set Design by Katrin Whitehead, Costume Design by Diego Cavedon Dias, Lighting Design by Bruce MacLennan.