Albert Herring by Benjamin Britten

515 East Thacker Street,Des Plaines IL 60016

18 July, 2021

Description

Chicago Summer Opera performs with orchestra and a cast nationally renowned young artists. Come and join for a wonderful evening of music. It’s spring of 1900 in the town of Loxford, where Lady Billows has proposed a revival of the May Day festival. To combat immorality in the town’s young population, a May Queen will be crowned as an example of virtue. However, Florence Pike, Lady Billows’s put-upon housekeeper, is aware of all the town scandals. As each young woman is nominated by the committee, Florence reveals that none meet Lady Billows’s exacting standards. Aware of at least one model of virtue in the town, Superintendent Budd suggests an innovative solution: the town’s first May King. The lucky man? Albert Herring, a timid and socially awkward fellow controlled by an oppressive, teetotaling mother. Lady Billows agrees, eager to teach the promiscuous girls of the town a lesson, and the committee ventures forth to inform Albert of the honor. At the Herrings’ shop, ladies’ man Sid pokes fun at Albert before being joined by his girlfriend Nancy. Sid and Nancy’s flirtations make Albert uncomfortable and jealous as he reflects on his loneliness. When the committee arrives to announce that virtuous Albert will be crowned May King, he strongly objects, but his mother overrules after learning of the cash prize. On the day of the festival, Sid and Nancy conspire to play a prank on Albert, hoping to loosen him up. Their plan works, but upon overhearing Sid and Nancy talking that evening, Albert is sharply reminded that he remains an object of pity. Albert resolves to enjoy one night of adventure and debauchery in defiance of the town’s expectations, leading to the opera’s hilarious conclusion. Following The Rape of Lucretia, Britten sought the tonal shift of a comic opera. His longtime librettist, Eric Crozier, suggested a Suffolk-based adaptation of Guy de Maupassant’s novella, Le Rosier de Madame Husson. Thus, Albert Herring was born and premiered at Glyndebourne in 1947. Creative TeamStage Director: Dr. Joshua Miller Conductor: Codrut Birsan Assistant Director: Thea Wigglesworth Assistant Conductor: Shun Yao Resident Coach: ​Curtis Serafin Cast ListLady Billows: Sarah SimsLady Billows: Alexandra WiebeMiss Wordsworth: Carol Anne OsborneMiss Wordsworth: Cassandra DixonFlorence Pike: Lauren IngebrigtsenFlorence Pike: Lauren RandolphNancy: Molly ClementzNancy: Jenna ClarkMrs. Herring: Lauren Anderson BustamiMrs. Herring: Kirsten NordlandAlbert Herring: Jason Gonzalez LarsenMr. Upfold: Kyle CortésMr. Upfold: Simon-Charles Tremblay-BéchardSuperintendent Budd: Justin Ramm-DamronSuperintendent Budd: Johan HartmanSid: Colin SafleySid: Max WolfMr. Gedge: Gordon BlodgettMr. Gedge: Justin DaleyCis: Runyu Feng Cover Miss Wordsworth: Ashley PatakCover Mrs. Herring: Angel SneedNote: General social distancing guidelines will be encouraged. For the safety of our audience, the theater will not be at full capacity. We encourage unvaccinated audience members to wear a mask. ​A Non-Profit Organization with a mission to provide world class training to gifted artists and to offer accessible high quality performances to our community. At Chicago Summer Opera, we offer training in role preparation, vocal technique, dramatic preparation, audition technique, and stage movement. In addition to the main stage productions, the program will offer staged scenes and one act operas with piano. This combination of training helps developing singers grow immensely in a short period of time.