Opera at Western

Western Illinois University Opera Theatre

Western Illinois University’s Opera program is open to all students campus wide. It is particularly designed to give voice students the opportunity to study, explore and perform a variety of works within the operatic and classical musical theatre canons. WIUOT provides a safe collaborative space for students to refine their singing and acting skills.

Course Offerings

  • Fall Semester: Opera Workshop
  • Spring Semester: Opera Production (audition required)

Cinque Terre

Aidan Singh, Brian Locke, Parker Carls and Kaiyan Wang in Le Nozze di Figaro. WIU Visual Production Center, 2019 ©

Greetings from the Spring 2021 Opera Theatre Artists

WIU OPERA THEATRE - DIRECTOR

Ms. Brenda Iglesias

WIU Opera Theatre

Audition Information

Opera auditions occur each fall semester for the spring production.

2020-2021 WIUOT Season

Guest Speakers

  • Lisette Oropesa - Soprano (Metropolitan Opera, Wiener Staatsoper, LA Opera, Opéra National de Paris)
  • Christopher Job - Baritone (Metropolitan Opera, LA Opera, New York Philharmonic, Royal Philharmonic)
  • Chauncey Packer - Tenor (Metropolitan Opera, Teatro alla Scala, San Francisco Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera, Nashville Opera)
  • Ryan Darensbourg - Baritone (Mobile Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera, Nashville Opera Company, Utah Festival Opera)
  • Dean Anthony - Director (Knoxville Opera, Amarillo Opera, Shreveport Opera Opera Tampa, Opera Omaha and the Brevard Music Center's Janiec Opera)
  • Robert Frankenberry - Tenor, Pianist, Coach, Actor, and Conductor. (Pittsburgh Festival Opera Young Artist Program Director)

Spring 2021 - "Opera in the Park" - A concert of favorite arias and duets from Operas and Operettas in beautiful Chandler Park in Macomb.

park

Fall 2020 - "Aria Extravaganza" - A virtual concert of Opera and Musical Theatre Arias

arias

Past WIUOT Seasons

  • 2019-2020
    Fall Showcase, December 5, 2019
    Spring Opera Double Bill: May 1-2, 2020,
    performances canceled due to COVID-19
    • VENUS AND ADONIS by John Blow 
    • DER BEKEHRTE TRUNKENBOLD ("The Converted Drunkard") by Christoph Willibald Gluck
  • 2018-2019: Le Nozze di Figaro (Mozart)
  • 2017-2018: Hansel and Gretel (Humperdinck)
  • 2016-2017: The Old Maid and the Thief (Menotti) and The Devil and Daniel Webster (Moore)
  • 2015-2016: Iolanthe (Gilbert & Sullivan)
  • 2014-2015: Dido and Aeneas (Purcell) and The Impresario (Mozart)
  • 2013-2014: Die Fledermaus (J. Strauss)
  • 2012-2013: The Pirates of Penzance (Gilbert & Sullivan)
  • 2011-2012: The Medium (Menotti); The Phantom of the Opera (Lloyd-Webber) Scholarship Concert
  • 2010-2011: The Telephone (Menotti) and Gianni Schicchi (Puccini)
  • 2009-2010: Amahl and the Night Visitors (Menotti)
  • 2008-2009: Trouble in Tahiti (Bernstein) and Gallantry (Moore)

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