The University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music’s award-winning undergraduate opera series (also known as “CCM Opera d’arte”) presents Maurice Ravel’s one-act opera L’Enfant et les Sortilèges from Feb. 21-23 in the Cohen Family Studio Theater. Admission is free, but reservations are required.
The title of Ravel’s second opera, L’Enfant et les Sortilèges: Fantaisie lyrique en deux parties translates to The Child and the Spells: A Lyric Fantasy in Two Parts. The opera tells the story of a young boy who, after being scolded by his mother, throws a destructive tantrum in his room. He is then surprised to watch the furniture and decorations become plants and animals that begin to talk. The child is left to fend for himself in a garden of creatures that remember the harm he inflicted on them before they could speak. It is a fantastical voyage for the whole family that not only showcases vast imagination, but also reminds us of the consequences our actions can have.
Directed by CCM Professor of Voice Kenneth Shaw and CCM Assistant Professor of Voice Amy Johnson with music direction by Assistant Professor of Ensembles and Conducting Brett Scott, L’Enfant et les Sortileges is being produced in collaboration with UC’s College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning (DAAP). This collaboration between CCM and DAAP grew largely from student interest, according to Shaw
“We met, developed ideas and then called on students to submit designs for sets and costumes. We selected aspects from three submissions and distilled the project into a Co-Op for DAAP position, filled by student Katie Iles,” Shaw explains. “The production presents the title role of the Child as a young, budding artist, so his paintings come to life, along with other inanimate objects. It’s just another dramatic device that seems to work well for this piece.
“Because each role, except for The Child, is brief,” Shaw continues, “our students can concentrate on their work and focus their energies more efficiently on singing well, acting with specificity and going beyond the normal human range of emotions into the world of the surreal.”
This production promises to bring light and warmth to an otherwise very chilly winter. Join Opera d’arte for a delightful escape!
Performance Times
- 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21
- 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22
- 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 23
Location
Cohen Family Studio Theater, CCM Village
University of Cincinnati
Reserving Tickets
Admission is free, but reservations are required. Visit the CCM box office or call 513-556-4183 to reserve. Limit two tickets per order.
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 detailed maps and directions, please visit uc.edu/visitors. Additional parking is available off-campus at the new U Square complex on Calhoun Street and other neighboring lots.
For directions to CCM Village, visit ccm.uc.edu/about/directions.
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CCM Season Presenting Sponsor & Musical Theatre Program Sponsor: The Otto M. Budig Family Foundation
Community Partner: ArtsWave
CCM VILLAGE NEWS ARCHIVES 
I just have to say something about the performance of this opera that I saw yesterday. It was wonderful! From the moment the chairs began to sing, the costumes and sets were so inventive and out-of-the-box that I had the feeling I was witnessing an original Dada performance at the Caberet Voltaire. The music was edgy and modern. In fact, I had the distinctly eerie and altogether fantastic impression that Ravel was (impossible!) channeling Frank Zappa! Incredible! Formidable! I look forward to all future productions of Opera d’Arte, but I fear they couldn’t possibly top what I witnessed yesterday.