Union Avenue Opera will kick off their 29th summer season this weekend with The Turn of the Screw, the first of three operas the company will perform at St. Louis’ historic Union Avenue Christian Church (733 Union) in the coming months.
UAO artistic director Scott Schoonover says that Union is known for their wide variety of operas, always presented in their original languages. This year, they are showcasing a British show, an American show, and an Italian show.
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“Each of them are very different from one another,” Schoonover says. “We always try to have a variety of things that will appeal to different groups of people, but our hope is that people will give them all a chance.”
The Turn of the Screw
Written by Benjamin Britten, The Turn of the Screw will kick off the festival season with performances on July 7, 8, 14, and 15. Directed by Nancy Bell and conducted by Schoonover, the opera will bring the audience along on an ominous journey.
The Turn of the Screw takes place at a remote English country house, Bly Manor, and follows a young governess hired to care for the two orphaned children that occupy the property. She is greeted by the housekeeper, Mrs. Grose, who is played by opera legend Christine Brewer. As time goes on, the governess begins to take notice of strange, supernatural happenings and is eventually confronted by the ghosts of the former governess and valet of the manor, Miss Jessel and Peter Quint, who have sinister motives.
Based on the 1954 horror novella written by Henry James, The Turn of the Screw is a ghost story that will have audiences on edge.
Don Pasquale
This 1843 opera buffa, or comedic opera, will be presented in Italian with English supertitles. Written by Gaetano Donizetti, this Italian comedy will be on stage July 28 & 29 and August 4 & 5.
The opera, conducted by Stephen Hargreaves and directed by Jon Truitt, tells the story of the old, wealthy bachelor Don Pasquale, who is determined to cheat his nephew, Ernesto, out of his inheritance. In love with a poor widow, Norina, Ernesto refuses to marry for money and conducts an outrageous plan with mastermind Dr. Maletesta to gain his inheritance and teach his uncle a lesson. The unorthodox love triangle takes the audience through hilarious twists and turns.
Ragtime
The last show of the summer festival will take place August 18, 19, 25, and 26. UAO will end with a bang with one of the bigger productions they’ve held to date, featuring 43 talented cast members, says Schoonover. Ragtime will be conducted by Schoonover and directed by Patrick Tubbs, with music written by Steven FLaherty and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens.
Based on the novel by Terrance McNally, the musical Ragtime explores New York City society in the 1900s. There will be three choruses in the musical, says Schoonover, each representing a different group in the city at the time.
“It’s really a racial injustice story, that’s what it’s really about,” says Schoonover. “In the end, it comes out with a message of hope; there’s a day of peace coming.”
Tickets for each of the shows range from $35- $55, and can be purchased at unionavenueopera.org or by calling 314-361-2881
