Music, Theater, and Dance Gear Up for Carmina Burana
The Dunham Hall denizens are currently hard at work getting ready for their upcoming production of “Carmina Burana.” This production of Carl Orff’s 1936 adaptation of the Medieval manuscript of the same name, brings together students and faculty of theater, dance and music for an elaborate spectacle with some Cuban flair being provided by several visiting artists.
“Really this is Calvin Jarrell’s baby,” James Wulfsong explained, “Carmina Burana doesn’t get done often due to its complexity, he was the one who spearheaded bringing the guests here.”
Jarrell began visualizing the project after a guest lecture he have in Cuba in 2007, and over the past year has managed to bring it to fruition, coordinating with conductor Michael Mishra from the SIUE department of Music as well as bringing special Cuban guests: Alfredo Velazquez Carcasses (choreographer), Vicente Yaunner Pérez (dancer), Yaunelis Rodriguez Fuentes (dancer), Alfredo Mas López (singer), and Cosette Justo Valdés (conductor) who aim to help bring a Cuban flair to the production. Due to medical problems Jarrell was hospitalized last week and Carcasses has had to step in as primary choreographer over the past week to help get the students show-ready.
“It’s everybody in this building trying to get this open and spectacular, and it will be,” stage manager Kourtnee Brenner said.
From a technical standpoint the show is a massive undertaking with a combination of a full orchestra, one hundred and twenty member choir, and twenty five movements most of which are accompanied by dance.
“We’re really packing sort of three shows, a complete opera, with dance, and orchestra all in a space designed for one of those,” Wulfsong shared.
Carmina Burana will be on stage April 12 and 13 in the Dunham Hall Theater, with a special dress rehearsal performance April 11th.
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