Master Singers of Milwaukee presents A Night at the Oper(etta)

Master Singers of Milwaukee presents A Night at the Oper(etta)

Saturday, June 1, 2019 7:30 p.m.

St. Boniface Episcopal Church

3906 W. Mequon Rd., Mequon

Sunday, June 2, 2019 4:00 pm

Wauwatosa Presbyterian Church

2366 N. 80^thSt. Wauwatosa

Tickets: $20 Adults, $18 Seniors (55+), $10 Students w/ID

www.mastersingersofmilwaukee.org

The Master Singers of Milwaukee’s light-hearted concert on June 1 and 2 will delight audiences with the antics of pirates, policemen, and bats, and feature excerpts from two of the best-loved operettas: Pirates of Penzance (1879) by Gilbert and Sullivan and Die Fledermaus (1874) by Johann Strauss II, as well as a few memorable choruses from other operettas — all sung in English. The operetta form developed out of earlier theatrical genres such as commedia dell’arte, vaudeville, and ballad opera. A popular musical style in Europe during the 19^thcentury, operettas featured light, romantic melodies or sometimes a satiric look at contemporary life. It wasn’t until the early 20^thcentury that operetta gained a strong foothold in America, brought to life by composers like Sigmund Rhomberg and Victor Herbert.

The Master Singers have invited five local vocalists to sing the primary roles for this production. Appearing in Pirates of Penzance are Drew Brhel as Major-General Stanley, Laura Schachner as Mabel, and Nathan Wesselowski as the Pirate King. Brhel was recently mentioned in the Journal Sentinel for his work in Milwaukee Chamber Theatre’s Ben Butler. Wesselowski just completed a run at the Skylight Music Theatre in a leading role in their production of Carmina Burana.

The Die Fledermaus cast features Shallece Peters as Rosalinda, Erin Sura in the pants role, Orlovsky, Laura Schachner as Adele, Wesselowski as Eisenstein, and Master Singers tenor, Lee Henning, as Falke. The operetta ends with the rousing finale from Act III, “…we drink to Champagne, the Great.”

The concerts take place on Saturday, June 1 at 7:30 p.m. at St. Boniface Church, 3906 W. Mequon Rd., in Mequon and Sunday, June 2 at 4:00 p.m. at Wauwatosa Presbyterian Church, 2366 N. 80th St., in Wauwatosa. Tickets are $20 for Adults, $18 for Seniors (55+), $10 for Students (18+) and children under 18 are free. Tickets are available at the door or through www.mastersingersofmilwaukee.org.

The Master Singers of Milwaukee is an adult mixed-voice choral ensemble composed of talented vocal musicians from the greater Milwaukee area. Its depth of range and power comes from singers with extensive musical backgrounds ranging from international vocal soloists singing throughout America, Europe, and Japan, to church and school choral directors, high-quality students from area schools and serious amateur musicians. The Master Singers of Milwaukee celebrates a passion for vocal artistry by exploring the dimensions of choral music that engage, uplift and rejuvenate the human spirit through extraordinary choral music and exceptional performances.