REVIEW: OPERA WORKSHOP COMIC WORKS SET FOR WEEKEND

Lots of folks are "put off" by the mention of opera because they think it's just a bunch of unintelligible screeching and yowling, with much gesticulating, in Italian.

Not to worry. This weekend, when Southeast Missouri State University's Opera Workshop presents two bright, brash, in English! comic operas, "The Reluctant Dragon" and "Gianni Schicchi" -- go ahead, enjoy! The latter really is pronounceable, and even if it were not, you'll so quickly be chuckling at the old guy's sly ways that his name won't matter.

That the latter piece was written by Giacoma Puccini just might pique your interest, though. And "The Reluctant Dragon" has words by David Grant and music by John Rutter, hardly the Italian versions of Jones.

The fun-packed little operas will run a bit less than an hour. Saturday's performance will commence at 8 p.m. and Sunday's at 3 p.m. in Academic Hall Auditorium. Not only is this Opera Workshop offering occasion for gala family gatherings, but it's also a fine example of the musical and acting talents for the university's students and faculty, especially working against the onslaught of end-of-school demands from regular classes and other special activities.

The shows are imaginatively directed by Christopher Goeke, assisted by Dr. Louisa Panou-Takahashi; the University Orchestra, which includes both faculty and student instrumentalists, is well-conducted by David Green.

"The Reluctant Dragon" is the story of an innocent boy (Delisa Hedspeth), a brave saint (Lance Lancaster), and a whimsical dragon (Joshua Rhine).

It's clearly a "once-upon-a-time" tale -- "Dream days and dragon days, when life was full of magic."

The boy's father (Antonio DelaCruz) is quite frightened of the dragon, so the boy fecklessly goes out to meet the "beast," who turns out to be decidedly unenthusiastic about fighting St. George. Interestingly enough, the good saint is no more anxious to do battle with the dragon than vice-versa.

But how to satisfy the blood-thirsty crowd already spoiling for the match? The three turn into conspirators, planning to "rig" the fight! St. George gives the dragon exquisitely explicit instructions on swordsmanship, and oh! such a show they do put on! The Master of Ceremonies (Darrel Chadd) doing Harry Carrey proud.

The gala banquet that follows is none too elegant -- "munch, gobble, guzzle, chomp" etc., the villagers believing St. George has vanquished the dastardly dragon.

The three "Conspirators" are determined to put an end to such anti-dragon enmity, and determine that henceforth there'll be no such nonsense.

St. George declares "Dragons aren't so bad if you just get to know them a bit, and besides, we could all be friends... Is there time to care again, time to hope and share again?"

So convincing is the argument that the Narrators (Kara Weber, Shannon McCreight, Sherri Blasingame, and Chris Hayes), along with villagers who form the Chorus (Heather Bollinger, Blasingame, Chad DelaCruz, Hayes, Alvin Hillis, Jennifer Icaza, Jeni Kafka, Dan Lancaster, Tom Lowery, McCreight, JoAnne Northern, Panou-Takahashi, Christi Roethemeyer, Donna Smith, and Weber) troop off together to make a new start, just in time for Christmas Day. And maybe the tunes we'll remember will remind us that dragons and people can be friends.

After an intermission to let us catch our breath comes the story of "Gianni Schicci" (it's pronounced approximately, "Johnny Seeky," if that's still bothering you), and we meet a fascinating group of characters.

Our Hero, Gianni (Tom Lowery), a quick-witted fellow, has been called in to help settle the estate of Buoso Donati, not yet in his grave. His family are supposed to be mourning his death but -- yep, you guessed it -- they're fighting over the fact that he's left his entire estate to the local friars.

To further complicate matters, Cousin Zita (Marsha Caughlin) won't allow her nephew, Rinuccio (Alan Bruns) to marry Gianni's daughter, Lauretta (Donna Smith), because she has no dowry. Knowing Gianni's cleverness, Rinuccio sends for him to come and help solve the various problems.

Others of the Donati clan are: Cherardo, Buoso's nephew (Chris Hayes); Nella his wife (Jeni Kafka); Gherardino, their son (Kara Weber); Betto, Buoso's brother-in-law (Alvin Hillis); Simone, Buoso's cousin (Lance Lancaster); Marco, his son (Darrel Chadd), and La Ciesca, Marco's wife (Heather Bollinger).

With such an assortment of relatives, Buoso probably thought he was wise to leave his worldly goods to the men of the cloth.

Others who get entangled in Gianni's creative -- if something less than ethical -- plot to see that everyone gets what he "deserves" are Master Spinelloccio, the physician (Joshua Rhine); Amanti di Nicolao, the notary (Joe Domian), and Pinellino (Dan Lancaster) and Guccio (Tony DelaCruz), both witnesses.

Shrewd Gianni concocts a scheme by which he convinces the Donati that he is Buoso, still alive, and writes a new will (leaving everything to himself and making it possible for Rinuccio and Lauretta to be wed). Naturally, the rest of the Donatis are furious, but can do nothing because the laws of Florence in 1299 state clearly that whoever helps falsify a will must have one hand cut off and be forever banished.

As the opera closes, Gianni convinces the audience that Buoso's money could hardly be put to better use and himself leads the applause for his and Buoso's skillful handling of the situation.

Two of Puccini's best-known arias are featured in "Gianni" -- Rinuccio's song of extravagant praise of the fair city of Florence that convinces the Donati to allow Cianni to come to "rescue" them from Buoso's unfair will, and Lauretta's more famous "O mio babbino caro" -- "Oh, My Beloved Daddy" -- in which she persuades Gianni to devise the scheme that will unite herself and her lover.

There is a surprising quality of maturity, the result of both natural talent and arduous training, in many of these young Opera Workshop voices, and the university is to be praised for making such development possible -- and for providing such tuneful fun.