Soap opera meets live opera in two comical one-acts, Holst's The Wandering Scholar and Moore's Gallantry. A desperate housewife seduces a lonely priest, and a handsome doctor preys on a cute nurse. Sung in English with a few commercial breaks, singers bring to life the guilty pleasures of daytime TV.
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Poor Richard's Opera presents "The Soapranos," a double-bill of two short comedic one act operas, exploring the world of soap operas. Gustav Holst's "The Wandering Scholar" focuses on a lonely housewife who seduces the local priest while a wandering scholar threatens to unveil her affair. Douglas Moore's "Gallantry" looks into the dramatic world of medicine as a handsome doctor tries to seduce a fellow physician. Both operas are sung in English by up and coming young Philadelphia singers and accompanied by piano. "The Soapranos" is a accessible introduction to quirky opera, enjoyable for opera lovers and newcomers alike.
The cast includes Robert Davidson, Toni Marie Palmertree, Jacob Kinderman, Michael Hogue, MajaLisa FritzHuspen, Paul Corujo, Hilary Bucell, and TJ Capobianco. Musical direction is by Ting Ting Wong and stage direction by Katy Gentry Hutchings.
Poor Richard’s Opera is one of Philadelphia’s newest opera companies, dedicated to giving young opera singers a chance to perform old works, new works, and everything in between. The company, founded by Sydney Kagan and Katy Gentry Hutchings in 2010, provides a supportive and challenging environment for singers who are eager to perform. Fondly referred to as “grassroots opera,” Poor Richard’s Opera simplifies the production experience to focus solely on the singers and music, usually performing in more intimate spaces and with piano accompaniment.
