Contact: Maridith Geuder
A new opera by a Mississippi State teacher and composer premieres Oct. 23 and 25 at the university.
"Lily," the work of Douglas McConnell of the music education department, is based on a children's story about three sisters. Created originally by Walter Wangerin Jr. of Valparaiso (Ind.) University, the story follows the life of each sister as the seasons evolve.
Designed to entertain both children and adults, the Lee Hall auditorium performances begin at 7:30 p.m. on the 23rd and 3 p.m. on the 25th. Tickets--$5 for adults and $3 for children, students and senior citizens--are available at the door.
McConnell said the opera employs both comedy and drama to show the importance of faith, trust and love in daily life. "It also comments on matters of life and death and offers a unique message for our times," he added.
The winner of a John Grisham Teaching Excellence Award, McConnell specializes in music theory and composition. While writing "Lily," he served as artist-in-residence at both the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts and New York's Millay Colony for the Arts.
McConnell said his adaptation of Wangerin's story is intended to introduce new audiences to the medium of opera and its ability to tell a story. "Opera is a challenging and exciting medium, but one not always available to general audiences, especially in rural areas," he explained.
"Lily" is being presented with the assistance of grants from the Mississippi Arts Commission and the university's Arts and Humanities Research Program.
Linda Karen Smith, MSU voice professor, is in charge of musical staging, while choreography is supervised by Debby Funderburk, lecturer in dance for the department of health, physical education, recreation and sport.
Starkville Public Schools art teacher Jane Gair is creating costumes and John Regl of Southern Expressions in Columbus is designing sets. Community and faculty musicians make up the orchestra.
McConnell's earlier compositions have been performed throughout Northern Europe and Russia. In the United States, his works have been premiered by the Cincinnati May Festival Chorus, Indianapolis Symphony and Chorus and the Dayton Bach Society, among others.
His chamber composition, "Songs of the Beloved," won the music composition award of the Mississippi Institute of Arts and Letters.
For more information, telephone the music education department at (601) 325-3070.