USD Opera presents two performances of The Medium
A psychological thriller, the opera features a con-woman posing as a medium with her daughter and a mute gypsy boy to extract money from bereaved parents seeking to connect with the spirits of their children. At a séance, the woman panics when she feels a pair of hands on her throat.
Friday cast members are Katie Pacza of Holstein, Iowa as Baba/Madame Flora, Laura Bertschinger of Creighton, Neb. as Monica, Kenneth Granle of Mantorville, Minn. as Toby, Hannah Lambertz of Yankton, S.D. as Mrs. Gobineau, Brian Rasmussen of Sioux City, Iowa as Mr. Gobineau, and Kristen Sage of Sioux Falls, S.D. as Mrs. Nolan. Saturday's cast features Pacza as Baba/Madame Flora, Natalie Campbell of Sioux Falls as Monica, Cody Perk of Yankton as Toby, Ashley Hogarth of Sioux Falls as Mrs. Gobineau, Zach Rohlwing of Des Moines, Iowa, and Jordyn Bangasser of Sioux Falls as Mrs. Nolan. The opera orchestra includes 14 USD students and faculty and members of the community.
“Since winning third prize in last year’s National Opera Association’s Collegiate Opera Production Competition, the students are highly motivated to make this production the best one yet,” said Tracelyn Gesteland, D.M.A., assistant professor of music, stage and music director for “The Medium.”
David Holdhusen, Ph.D., director of choral activities at USD, is the musical conductor for the production while Jared Mogen of Sioux Falls, S.D. is assistant conductor. Choreographer is Rebecca Hebda of Yankton and the stage manager is Joshua Rolling of Merrill, Iowa.
General admission tickets for “The Medium” will be sold at the door ($10 adults/$5 students with ID). The hour-long opera is performed In English and includes supertitles for ease-of-understanding. The performance contains mature themes not suitable for children. For more information, please contact the USD Department of Music at (605) 677-5274, email music@usd.edu or visit the department's website at www.usd.edu/music.
You May Also Like
Third Academic All-America honor for Duffy
AUSTIN, Texas — South Dakota senior guard Ciara Duffy was one of five Division I women's basketball players selected to the Academic All-America first team selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). Duffy earns Academic All-America honors for the third consecutive season.
Perfect Finish Coyotes beat Jacks for Summit crown
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — All five South Dakota starters scored in double-figures and the Coyotes completed perhaps the greatest regular season in Summit League history with a 63-58 win against rival and second-seeded South Dakota State in the tournament championship game Tuesday inside the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center.
