PSU Opera Theatre

Die Fledermaus is a delicious, frothy concoction of beautiful waltzes as light as the champagne bubbles that are sung about it the famous Act 2 ensemble saluting "King Champagne". Set in Vienna in the 1800s, it is infused with some of Johann Strauss' most famous tunes. The story centers around a revenge seeking Dr. Falke who is angry with his friend Eisenstein for playing an embarrassing practical joke on him. Falke enlists the help of Eisenstein's wife and together with her maid Adele, they all attend a costume ball at the home of Russian Prince Orlofsky. Confusion ensues but as the curtain descends, Falke and Orlofsky clear up mistaken identities. Husband and wife are reconciled, and all sing a toast to champagne. 

Bastienne and Bastienne

The Lantern Marriage

The Elixir of Love - February 12^th & 14^th, 2016

“The Elixir of Love,” one of the most performed operas by Gaetano Donizetti, premiered in Milan in 1832 and was wildly popular. The opera’s popularity has not waned in the 184 years since it was first performed and it appears as number 13 on the Operabase list of the most-performed operas worldwide between 2008 and 2013. “The Elixir of Love” combines a touching love story and hilarious comedy with some of the world’s most famous melodies, including the much-loved aria ‘Una furtiva lagrima.’

It features Madison Youngberg-King as "Adina", Cesar Sobrino as "Nemorino", The Pitt State Opera Theatre Chorus, and the Southeast Kansas Symphony with Maestro Raul Mungia conducting.

An Evening of Lyric and Theatre  - April 28^th, 2015

The Pittsburg State University Opera Theatre presents "An Evening of Lyric Theatre" featuring scenes from Le nozze di Figaro, Cinderella, A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder, and La serva padrona.

The PSU Opera Workshop is directed by Patrick Howle.

An Evening of Lyric and Theatre program (PDF)

An Enchanted Evening - November 21^st, 2014

The Pittsburg State University Opera Theatre, together with the Southeast Kansas Symphony, presents “An Enchanted Evening,” a concert of operatic and musical theater gems featuring the final trio from Der Rosenkavelier, Act II of La Boheme, and selections from West Side Story.

The PSU Opera Workshop is directed by Patrick Howle.

An Enchanted Evening program (PDF)

Puccini's Suor Angelica and Gianni Schicchi
February 14^th & 16^th, 2014

These two one-act operas make up the larger portion of Il Trittico or literally a triptych when translated from Italian and indeed we do see two very different sides of the same picture in these stories. In Sour Angelica there runs the theme of a mother's love for a child that was stripped from her in infancy and in Gianni Schicchi's the we have title character's scheming so that his beloved daughter may have a large enough dowry to marry her fiancee Rinuccio. In both operas, unconditional and steadfast love are the catalyst for the main characters actions. Couple all of this with the beauty and grandeur of Puccini's music and one cannot help but be swept away in the drama and comedy of it all.

The PSU Opera Workshop is directed by Patrick Howle.

Puccini's Suor Angelica and Gianni Schicchi program (PDF)

HMS Pinafore - February 15^th & 17^th, 2013

Gilbert and Sullivan's rollicking romp through naval life, class distinctions, and melodramatic villainy has entertained millions since its London premiere.   Josephine, the Captain's daughter, is in love with able seaman Ralph Rackstraw. But her father has other plans for her: an advantageous union with the exalted Sir Joseph Porter, K.C.B. When the young couple's elopement is thwarted by cantankerous seaman Dick Deadeye, it remains for Little Buttercup to confess that her baby-farming techniques had left something to be desired.

H.M.S. Pinafore was performed on February 15th and 17th at Pittsburg's Memorial Auditorium. Both performances were accompanied by the Southeast Kansas Symphony under the direction of Raúl Antonio Munguía.

The PSU Opera Workshop is directed by Patrick Howle.

HMS Pinafore program (PDF)

The Magic Flute - November 20^th, 2011

"The Magic Flute," one of Mozart's best known works, premiered in Vienna in 1791. It was an instant success and continues to be a favorite of opera lovers to this day. It is believed to be the most frequently performed opera in the world.

"The Magic Flute" was on Nov. 18 at Pittsburg's Memorial Auditorium. Both performances were accompanied by the Southeast Kansas Symphony under the direction of Dr. Selim Giray.

The PSU Opera Workshop is directed by Patrick Howle.

The Magic Flute Program (PDF)

The Pirates of Penzance - Feb 13^th, 2009

The Pirates of Penzance," also known as "The Slave of Duty," had its premiere in London in 1879. The story chronicles the travails of a pirate apprentice named Frederic whose hard-of-hearing nursemaid misunderstood his father's request for him to become a pilot.

The production, a collaboration between the Pittsburg State University Opera Workshop and the PSU Department of Music, will feature both members of the opera workshop class and current PSU faculty members.

The Pirates of Penzance Program (PDF)