West Chester University Opera Theatre Stages Beauty and the Beast on Nov. 17 and 18
West Chester University’s Opera Theatre presents BEAUTY AND THE BEAST on Friday, November 17, at 7:30 p.m., and Saturday, November 18, at 3 p.m. in the Emilie K. Asplundh Concert Hall, Philips Memorial Building, 700 S. High Street, West Chester. General Admission tickets are $7 for adults at www.wcupatix.com/schoolofmusic. Tickets for faculty, staff, students, and children under 12 are FREE.
This operatic version of the familiar BEAUTY AND THE BEAST fairy tale features lush, romantic music by Vittorio Giannini.
Assistant Professor and Director of Opera Nicholas Provenzale says, “We are so excited to welcome audiences of all ages to see BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. It is the perfect introduction to opera for every age. It follows the familiar and popular classic fairytale, the music is beautiful and accessible, it is performed in English, and it is just under an hour long. We invite the entire community to join us for this magical, family-friendly opera.”
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST was performed at the Free Library of Philadelphia on Saturday, November 4, and will be performed at the Kennett Library on Saturday, November 11 at 2 p.m. These events are FREE and open to the public. The cast has also performed for Boys and Girls Clubs in the Philadelphia region with one remaining performance on November 20.
Provenzale adds, “I chose this shorter opera with a familiar story for our outreach tour, which is a terrific way to bring opera to new audiences while providing an opportunity for our students to hone their craft.”
WCU Opera’s production of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST includes a cast of 11 with accompaniment by one onstage pianist. The show is double cast. Vocal Performance major Zoe Bennett (Malvern, PA) performs in the title role as BEAUTY on November 18. Flute major Elizabeth Jones (Willow Grove, PA) plays the role on November 17, 2023.
Limited parking is available across and along the street just outside the Philips Memorial Building. Parking is also available in West Chester’s M Lot, just a short walk South. Purchasing tickets in advance is strongly encouraged.