Opera to premiere at college venue

Staff report

NEW WILMINGTON, PA.

The pop opera “Katharina von Bora” will premiere at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 7 at Orr Auditorium at Westminster College.

Composed by Mihai Valcu, resident conductor of Opera Westminster, it is a joint production of the Westminster College music program and the New Castle Lyric Opera.

Katharina von Bora is a revered figure in Germany. Cloistered in a nunnery, she broke with the traditions of the Catholic Church and married Martin Luther. They partnered in the Protestant Reformation – Luther the theological visionary and Katharina an energetic realist in her role as the first lady of the early Lutheran church.

Valcu, who splits his time between New Castle and Leipzig, Germany, near von Bora’s homeland, was inspired by that region’s veneration of her. Von Bora has a mythical status for her support of her husband and her heroism in the era of the Black Plague. Her life inspired the opera, which honors the upcoming 500th anniversary of the Lutheran church.

Valcu, who is a native of Romania, is the conductor. The libretto was written by William Zeiger, a professor at Slippery Rock University, and Westminster’s Anne Bentz is the production and stage director. The role of Katharina will be sung by Danielle Smith, a vocal performance major at Westminster. Guest artists include William Andrews as Martin Luther and also David Pratt and Victor Cardamone.

Valcu’s score integrates the traditional orchestrations of grand opera with contemporary instrumentation, classifying his composition as a pop opera. Admission is $10 at the door. Tickets can be purchased in advance by calling New Castle Lyric Opera at 724-714-3003. Special rates are available for groups of 10 or more.