Saturday, February 23, 2013
- by Dr. Tom Hammett
From the opening scene, Kimberly Keck's, and Mel Wilhoit's entire production of Mozart's light-hearted opera, Cosi' fan Tutte was delightful at Bryan College. We were the guests of Dr. and Mrs. Bob Coddington, and this only being Bryan's second operatic production, we did not know what to expect. An excellent instrumental ensemble of 15 professional and accomplished players, including verterian string players Mark Reneau and Kay Smith, did a remarkable job accompanying the production. The audio technology was also excellent, allowing voices to soar above the orchestra in pleasing clarity.
Garrett Hill, Randy Bright and Kelly Findley performed respectable roles with voices sounding like leading voices from a good collegiate choir. Natalie Hughes and Marina Sterne were not only lovely on stage, but their voices displayed an unusual level of vocal maturity and expression. Katie Warren joined the lead ensemble with outstanding acting and fine singing. The chorus added nicely to evening.
The entire production captured the essence of Mozart's opera, the key element being entertainment. The evening flew by leaving the audience refreshed and uplifted. Bravo to President Steven Livesay, Bryan College and the entire Music Department.
Performances scheduled for Friday and Saturday, Feb. 22-23, at Rudd Auditorium at 7:30 p.m.