March 26, 2015—On Wednesday, April 15, the University of Oregon School of Music and Dance will present the UO Music Fest in Bend, an annual free concert showcasing popular musical performers from the university’s Eugene campus. The 2015 Music Fest will feature a performance by the award-winning UO Opera Ensemble in a program titled “Once Upon an Opera.”

 

The 45-minute, family-friendly concert is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Tower Theatre, 835 Wall St, Bend. The event is free, but tickets are required. Tickets are available at the door or in advance from the Tower Theatre box office, or by phone at 541-317-0700.

 

The UO Opera Ensemble, under the direction of Dr. Karen Esquivel, will invite their Central Oregon audience to join them in an evening of pure fantasy. The ensemble will perform scenes featuring some of opera’s most beautiful music, including the Cinderella story told in scenes from Jules Massenet’s Cendrillion, and the tale of The Little Mermaid as portrayed in scenes from Antonín Dvořák’s Rusalka.

 

Esquivel says that the early curtain and brief running time are sure to make the concert a hit with families and opera-lovers alike. 

 

“Some of these selections are rarely, if ever, performed in Oregon,” explains Esquivel, “so this is a real opportunity for our friends in Bend to indulge in some beautiful music.”

 

The UO Opera Ensemble presents professional-caliber, award-winning performances. The ensemble placed second in the 2013 Collegiate Opera Scenes Competition, Division II for performers age 23 and older, of the National Opera Association. More recently, several UO opera students placed in various categories at the 2015 National Association of Teachers of Singing Cascade Chapter’s Classical Festival, held March 7 at Portland State University.

 

In 2013, the Opera Ensemble toured to Costa Rica, performing at community centers and schools. 

 

The UO Music Fest is a perennially popular event in the Bend community, with the Tower Theatre often filled to capacity. In recent years, the UO has treated Tower Theatre audiences to performances by the award-winning UO Gospel Singers, the acclaimed Oregon Jazz Ensemble, and the piano duo of Dean Kramer and Claire Wachter. 

 

Details of the event are listed below. 

 

 

 

Scenes from Cendrillon and Rusalka

7 p.m., Tower Theatre, 835 NW Wall St, Bend 

Admission free; ticket required