UA STUDENTS, GRADUATES, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND PROFESSIONAL SINGERS JOIN TO PRESENT BEETHOVEN'S GREAT OPERA FIDELIO AT U OF A

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - All are invited to enjoy a free performance of Beethoven's opera Fidelio, a tale of rescue, sacrifice, and heroic endurance, on Tuesday evening, July 31,at 7:30 p.m. in the Stella Boyle Smith Concert Hall at the Fine Arts Center. Students of University of Arkansas Associate Professor Janice Yoes will present excerpts from the opera in modified concert form.

"The music of Fidelio is unique in opera. Every measure bears the stamp of Beethoven's high purpose and painstaking care in composition. The music is exalted in spirit, endeavoring to embody the abstract ideas of good and evil. The Thursday performance will include all of the great arias of the work and most of the beautiful ensemble numbers," said Yoes.

The plot, said to be based on an actual event of the French Revolution, involves Florestan, who has been unjustly imprisoned. His wife Leonore, disguised as a man under the name of Fidelio, becomes assistant to Rocco, the jailer. Marzelline, Rocco's daughter, falls in love with Fidelio, much to the consternation of Jacquino, who works at the prison. Pizzaro, governor of the prison, has been warned that Don Fernando, the minister of state, is coming to investigate the cases of the prisoners. Pizzaro determines to murder Florestan, but Leonore prevents him.

Leonore will be sung by Brenda Frye of Memphis, Tennessee. Ms. Frye made her professional debut as the Countess in The Marriage of Figaro in 1997, and since then has maintained an active opera and recital performance schedule throughout the United States and Canada. This summer Ms. Frye has been appearing with the Des Moines Metro Opera.

Pizzaro is sung by Howard Goode of Texarkana. Mr. Goode studied voice at North Texas State and received his law degree from the U of A. He is a soloist at Covenant Presbyterian Church of Fayetteville and First United Methodist Church in Texarkana.

Rocco is played by David Hunt. Mr. Hunt received his undergraduate degree in physical education and graduate degree in education administration from the University of Arkansas, and received further certification at the University of Kentucky. He is presently on the faculty of McNair Middle School. He sings with the Central United Methodist Church of Fayetteville. His operatic roles include Falstaff, Leporello in Don Giovanni and Dulcamara in Elisir d'amore.

Theodore Morrill will appear as Florestan. Morrill attended Florida State University and received his undergraduate degree from the University of Miami. He has sung in Italy, Germany, Switzerland, France and America in opera, operetta, musicals, television and radio. He has appeared on and off Broadway as well. His operatic roles include Othello, Radames in Aida, and Samson.

Marzelline is sung by Lara Ruoss, a junior in vocal performance at the U of A. She has sung with the U of A Opera Theatre and with the Concert Choir. In February, 2001, she won first place at the statewide National Association of Teachers of Singing competition.

Bobby Richardson of Springdale, who sings the role of Jaquino, is a UA graduate with a Bachelor of Music degree. He was the tenor soloist for the UA Orchestra and Northwest Arkansas Symphony Chorus production of Mozart's Coronation Mass in February of 1999. He has played Tamino in the UA production of Mozart's Die Zauberflte and with the Opera in the Ozarks production of I Pagliacci.

Professor Emeritus Dr. Barbara Garvey Jackson will offer comments about the work. Dr. Jackson was professor of music at the university from 1954 to 1956 and from 1961 to 1991. She is editor and publisher of ClarNan Editions, a desktop publishing company devoted to historic music by female composers. Her book Say Can You Deny Me, a guide to music by women from the 16^th through the 18^th centuries, was published by the University of Arkansas Press in 1994.

Janice Yoes will accompany the work on the piano.