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FAU Presents a Gala Opera Benefit

Florida Atlantic University’s department of music in the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters presents “ Duke Bluebeard’s Castle,”  a one act opera by Hungarian composer Bela Bartok, sung in Hungarian. The concert will take place on Sunday, March 20, at 3 p.m. in the University Theatre on FAU’s Boca Raton campus, 777 Glades Road. The concert is free with a $10 donation suggested.

 

The concert, performed by Dean Peterson, bass, and Birgit Fioravante, soprano, with Krisztina Kover, piano, is a powerful opera that delves into the mystery of the relationship between a man and a woman.  It is as timely and riveting today as it was when it debuted one hundred years ago.

 

Judith, a beautiful, young peasant girl, has been seduced by Bluebeard on the eve of her wedding to another man.  She abandons her fiancé and follows the charismatic Bluebeard to his ominous castle where she tries to uncover what mysteries lie behind seven locked doors.  He begs her to love him without question, but she insists that he must divulge his secrets.   Judith is horrified as her discoveries reveal the true nature of the man she has sacrificed everything for.  The performance will be preceded by a video presentation featuring the three performers. In the video, the performers will share with the audience their individual and collective thoughts about and interpretations of this dramatic and intense work.

 

Although world-renowned as operatic and concert performers, generally commanding large fees on opera stages across the globe, both Peterson and Fioravante are currently pursuing Master of Arts degrees in music at FAU. This performance is their graduation project. The proceeds from the donations given at the door will go towards developing future opera performance projects at FAU.

           

For more information, call 561-297-3820.