Green to set stage at SIUE directing two operas as student

Junior music major Tyler Green directs his peers in two contrasting operas: “The Medium” and “Cox and Box” next week.

Chris Kernan, senior theater major, David Fournie, freshman music major and Keith Wehmeyer, a graduate of the SIUE Music Department rehearse "Cox and Box," an opera directed by student Tyler Green. Photo courtesy of Green.

The dramatic and comedic productions respectively take place Nov. 7 and 8 both at 7:30 p.m. at Abbott Auditorium in Lovejoy Library.

According to Green, this is the first time SIUE has had a student serve as stage director for a university opera production and he is grateful for that.

“I think it’s a huge honor and a great opportunity for the students to have the experience of directing at such a young age and it’s a great process and a great challenge,” Green said.

Green said he thinks it reflects positively on SIUE and the music department to have allowed him to direct the shows as a student.

“I don’t think I would have had this unique opportunity at other universities,” Green said. “I think it’s very challenging and awesome.”

According to Green, he learned a lot about all that goes into planning and producing a show which includes casting, staging and advertising.

“I really enjoy working with my peers creating a great show that we all enjoy and are proud of,” Green said. “It’s definitely a cool experience.”

Both operas, according to Green, are more relatable than classical opera as they are contemporary and in English.

“The Medium” by Gian Carlo, according to Green, is an extremely dark and unique opera that grips the audience from beginning to end.

He added that the opera centers around leading character, Baba, who holds séances in her home or brings back spirits.

“It actually goes wrong so that she actually loses her mind because she suddenly feels a hand touch her throat and she goes crazy because she knows the séances aren’t real,” Green said.

Graduate student in music Jennifer Brauer said playing Baba is challenging and fun.

“She is someone who thinks she in control and then loses control and doesn’t know how to deal with it,” Brauer said. “It’s very psychological.”

Brauer said Green has been a really great director.

“He’s really insightful and he really gives good direction,” Brauer said. ”He explains things well and is really helpful with motivation.”

“Cox and Box” by Arthur Sullivan, according to Green, is an extremely light-hearted comedic farce about two gentlemen who are tricked into renting the same apartment.

“Cox works all day and Box works all night,” Green said. “So their landlord switches all the possessions when one of them leaves for work so none of them realizes that they live in the same apartment.”

Green added that in the opera, the two men discover they are sharing an apartment and the plot unravels from there.

Green said he would like to thank music professor Marc Schapman and the music department for allowing him to have this opportunity.

“I hope the school would enjoy the hard work that my peers and I have put in to make these two wonderful productions,” Green said.

SIUE music faculty member Joe Welch works alongside Green as music director.

Tickets can be purchased at the box office at Dunham Hall or at the door.

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