YSU offers two one-act operas

One is a comedy of errors, the other a modern tale of a woman who knows what she wants.

The Vindicator

YOUNGSTOWN — Youngstown State University’s Performing Arts Series will present An Evening of Opera, with two one-act performances, Thursday through April 20. Gian Carlo Menotti’s “Amelia Goes to the Ball” and Thomas Pasatieri’s “Signor Deluso” are the featured operas.

The operas will be performed in English. David Vosburgh is the stage director; Dr. Allan Mosher is the vocal director and John Wilcox is the conductor. Music accompanist is Jerome Rezanka; costume designer is Barbara Luce of the Costume Kingdom and set designer is David Vosburgh of Opera Western Reserve.

As “Signor Deluso” begins, Celie is in love with L on, but has been forced by her father to marry the wealthy Val re.

A comedy of errors results when Celie faints on the town square and is helped by Signor Deluso. Clara, Deluso’s wife, sees him holding Celie and concludes he is being unfaithful. When Deluso sees Clara looking at a picture of L on in a locket dropped by Celie, he makes the same assumption.

Soon, the couples all suspect their true loves are involved in affairs with others. Accusations and insults intensify until Celie’s maid arrives to sort through the confusion.

The cast of “Signor Deluso” includes Sara Williams of Beaver, Pa., as Celie for the Thursday and Saturday performances, and Emily Semich of Moon Township, Pa., for Friday and Sunday; Josh Taylor of Steubenville; Max Pivik of Pittsburgh; Therese Scharf of Austinburg as Rosine for Thursday and Saturday performances, and Noel King of Sharon, Pa., for Friday and Sunday; Carrie Minenok of Austintown as Clara for the Thursday and Saturday performances, and Deanna Scott of Toronto for Friday and Sunday; Matthew Miles of Boardman; and Christopher Anderson of Lancaster as Magistrate for the Thursday and Saturday performances, and Stephen Flask of Campbell for Friday and Sunday. “Amelia Goes to the Ball” is a 20th century comic opera about a self-centered woman whose sole desire is to go to the ball.

Her husband has found a letter from her lover and confronts her with it. She finally confesses that she has been seeing the “gentleman” upstairs. In a fury, her husband looks for a gun and goes out to find her paramour.

Meanwhile, Amelia warns her lover, whose solution is for them to run away together. But she says she can’t elope because there is a wonderful ball that evening. When her husband finds them, there is a gentlemanly debate that escalates into a struggle resulting in the lover knocking out the husband.

When the police arrive, Amelia betrays her lover, leaves her husband for dead and gleefully goes to the ball with the handsome police chief.

The cast includes Diana Farrell of Wilbraham, Mass., as Amelia; Katie Gaggini of East Brady, Pa.; Natalie Modarelli of Austintown; Lauren Hess of Poland; Mei Ma Shen Yang of China; Elizabeth Walker of Natrona Heights, Pa., as Friend for the Thursday and Saturday performances, and Bethany Bollinger of Apollo, Pa., for Friday and Sunday; Max Pivik of Pittsburgh; Matthew Miles of Boardman; and Josh Taylor of Steubenville.