CCM’s acclaimed 2012-13 Mainstage Series comes to a close this week with a colorful new production of Mozart’s beloved comedic singspiel The Magic Flute. This production runs April 4–7 in UC’s Corbett Auditorium.
The Cincinnati Enquirer‘s Janelle Gelfand recently visited CCM to take a behind-the-scenes look at The Magic Flute‘s costumes, wigs and make-up designs. Watch her exclusive video preview here.
From left to right, Tara Deieso (who sings the role of First Lady in CCM’s production of ‘The Magic Flute’), Assistant Costume Designer Kaitlyn Munro, Professor Dean Mogle and Draper/Dressmaker Christie Peitzmeier.
CCM Professor of Costume Design Dean Mogle recently gave CCM Public Information Assistant and Arts Administration student Sara Kissinger a behind-the-scenes tour of the costume shop, which is in full swing in these last crucial weeks before the opening of The Magic Flute. All photography by CCM Arts Administration student Shawn Kelly.
Sara Kissinger: Dean, thank you so much for inviting me to visit the shop today. The Magic Flute is an iconic work in opera repertoire – have you designed for this show before?
Dean Mogle: I have not designed a production of Flute before. The last time CCM did Flute was the 1986-87 season, before I joined the faculty.
SK: Did you have a specific concept for your design?
DM: There were two major influences on the design. The first is the 18th century influence, which is a nod back to when Mozart wrote the opera. This is the Queen of the Night’s world. It’s midnight: there are a lot of blues and everything is deep and dark and rich. The second influence is a sort of modified Egyptian style, which is Sarastro’s world. The costumes are warm colors – gold and bronze.
Dean Mogle shares the original costume rendering for the Queen of the Night.
SK: What was the process of making the costumes like?
Jacqueline Echols as Pamina and Yi Li as Tamino in CCM’s ‘The Magic Flute.’ Photography by Mark Lyons.
CCM proudly presents Mozart’s beloved comedic singspiel The Magic Flute (Die Zauberflöte, 1791) from April 4–7 in UC’s Corbett Auditorium. The fourth most frequently performed opera worldwide, this production will be sung in German with English dialogue (with supertitles displayed). Mark Gibson conducts with stage direction by Steven Goldstein.
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart with a libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder, this beloved opera offers something for everyone: a hero and heroine questing for true love, evil villains, a comical sidekick and a whole range of beastly creatures. According to Goldstein, The Magic Flute is a sort of vaudeville variety show of the 18th century. However, this iteration isn’t all about the slapstick comedy. “My charge to the performers,” Goldstein explains, “is for the comedy to come from somewhere genuine. There is a real play back and forth between light-heartedness and deep morality in Flute and our goal is to find the truth inside of it.”
CCM presents ‘The Time of Your Life.’ Photography by Mark Lyons.
Panelists for the League of Cincinnati Theatres (LCT) have recognized CCM’s Mainstage Series production of The Time of Your Life with two LCT nominations, for Ensemble in a Play and for scenic design (Mark Halpin). Congratulations to everyone involved with this production!
CCM proudly presents William Saroyan’s Pulitzer Prize and Drama Critics’ Circle Award-winning drama The Time of Your Life, running tonight through Sunday in UC’s Patricia Corbett Theater. Tickets are on sale now.
You can read the Cincinnati Enquirer‘s preview of the show here and learn more about the production here.
An early look at the set for ‘The Time of Your Life’ by Scenic Designer Mark Halpin.
CCM proudly presents a sprawling, elegant production of American playwright William Saroyan’s award-winning five-act play The Time of Your Life, running Feb. 6 (preview) – 10 in UC’s Patricia Corbett Theater.
Set in a run-down waterfront dive bar on the docks of San Francisco (“Nick’s Pacific Street Saloon, Restaurant and Entertainment Palace”) in October of 1939, The Time of Your Life is filled with colorful characters, love and the follies of humanity. CCM Associate Professor of Drama Diane Kvapil directs.
Ellie Jameson as Kitty, Cliff Nunley as Nick and Will Kiley as Joe in CCM’s ‘The Time of Your Life.’ Photography by Brian J. Ruggaber. Shot at Uncle Woody’s Pub in Clifton.
“In the time of your life, live – so that in that good time there shall be no ugliness or death for yourself or for any life your life touches.” – William Saroyan
This February, CCM proudly presents William Saroyan‘s sprawling and elegant The Time of Your Life. Directed by Diane Kvapil, this bittersweet drama runs Feb. 6 (preview) – 10 in CCM’s Patricia Corbett Theater.
Saroyan’s second play, The Time of Your Life was written in just six days and went on to become the only play to win both the Pulitzer Prize and the Drama Critic’s Circle Award. Written in the summer of 1939, Saroyan said of the work, “The shadow of impending war is all over my second play.”
“People everywhere needed respite from fear,” Kvapil explains. “Hope was hard to find… the whole world was at war or in fear of invasion.” In this climate, the run-down waterfront saloon of Saroyan’s play serves as a refuge, a place of peace and camaraderie.
CCM’s 2012-13 Mainstage Series resumes next month with William Saroyan’s sprawling, elegant and bittersweet The Time of Your Life.
Running Feb. 6 (preview) – 10 in CCM’s Patricia Corbett Theater on the campus of the University of Cincinnati, The Time of Your Life was the first drama to win both the Pulitzer Prize and the Drama Critics’ Circle Award!
Today, we present our first behind-the-scenes look at the set’s progress. Theatre design and production students are busy bringing scenic designers Mark Halpin and Cai Zeng‘s vision to life! Check back for another early look at The Time of Your Life later on this week.
Cincinnati’s premiere fundraiser returns in early 2013 when CCM presents “A Moveable Feast!”
The festivities begin at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 18, and this year’s “Feast” celebrates the theme “A Star is Born.”
A star-powered showcase of CCM’s world-class performing and media arts programs and state-of-the-art facilities, the fundraiser features samplings of artistic and culinary delights throughout CCM Village. Guests can enjoy backstage tours and plan their own schedule of 20-minute samplings of student entertainment, including Jazz, Musical Theatre, Piano, Opera, Drama, Dance, Orchestra and Chamber Winds performances, along with E-Media video productions and performances by students from CCM’s Preparatory Department. This year’s artistic menu also includes a performance by CCM’s Steel Drum Band and entertainment by local CCM Alumni.
The evening’s program will begin in Corbett Auditorium with a prelude performance featuring the Jazz Ensemble and dancers from CCM’s Musical Theatre program. The “Feast” will conclude with a performance by the Philharmonia Orchestra. Cocktails and dinner-by-the-bite provided by Jeff Thomas Catering will be served throughout the evening. Learn more about “A Moveable Feast” by visiting http://ccm.uc.edu/support/events.
You can also experience some highlights from last year’s “Feast” courtesy of iSPYCINCY by visiting http://www.ispycincy.com/ccms-a-moveable-feast.
Event Time
6:30 p.m., Friday, Jan. 18
Location
CCM Village
University of Cincinnati
Purchasing Tickets
Tickets to “A Moveable Feast” are on sale now:
Seating is limited. Tickets can be purchased online at ccm.uc.edu/support/events or by calling 513-556-2100. Event proceeds raised by the Friends of CCM, a group of 600 volunteers and an active board, support student scholarships for CCM “stars of tomorrow.”
Parking and Directions
Parking is available in the CCM Garage (located at the base of Corry Boulevard off Jefferson Avenue) and additional garages throughout the UC campus. Please visit uc.edu/parking for more information on parking rates.
For directions to CCM Village, visit ccm.uc.edu/about/directions.
CCM Season Presenting Sponsor: The Otto M. Budig Family Foundation
Community Partner: ArtsWave
