Opera in RSPA Panther Hall

When the curtain rose on Ranney School’s Roberts Stage in RSPA Panther Hall this Saturday, some audience members, especially the youngest ones, had no idea what to expect. For many of them, the special evening concert by the visiting repertory company Pacific Encore Performances was their first exposure to opera as an art form. For the next 90 minutes, the children, their parents and other guests sat in rapt attention while cast members entertained and delighted both the novice and seasoned opera-lover alike, performing selections from the classic operas La Boheme, La Rondine, and Don Pasquale. In between the selections, Mr. Barry Henry, co-founder of Pacific Encore, provided some context, explaining how each song related to the greater opera story.

The evening’s performance, which was open to the public, was not all opera however. It also included popular Broadway show tunes, such as “I Have Dreamed” from Roger and Hammerstein’s The King and I and “All I Ask of You” from Andrew Lloyd Weber’s Phantom of the Opera. The highlight of the evening came as members of the Upper School chorus joined the cast on stage for three musical selections. Under the direction of Ranney School Performing Arts Director Ms. Tess Nielsen, the students sang along with the professional musicians for a moving arrangement of “Shenandoah” and “He’s Gone Away,” as well as solo performances of “Climb Every Mountain” from Roger and Hammerstein’s The Sound of Music.

Following the performances, members of the cast and chorus mingled with audience members, answering their questions and enjoying light refreshments. View video highlights of the evening's performance.
 
For additional information on all Ranney School news, please contact the Communications Department at communications@ranneyschool.org.