Virginia Opera’s production of Carlisle Floyd’s “Susannah” arrives at the company’s Northern Virginia venue, George Mason University’s Center for the Arts, following rave reviews of the Norfolk and Richmond performances.
The folk opera set in 20th-century New Hope Valley, Tenn., is based on the tragic story of Susannah in the Old Testament’s Book of Daniel.
Soprano Lillian Sengpiehl, a Kansas native and winner of several prestigious grants and competitions, is making her company debut in this new production. “I take such a big journey emotionally and vocally in this role of an open-minded, loving young girl who becomes a destroyed woman,” she says.
“Floyd put text and music together brilliantly to deliver the message that we must be kind to others. Each time I sing ‘Susannah’ the experience is affected by the other performers. I last sang it in Norway with an international cast whose attitude toward American culture is different than ours.”
“Lillian is perfect for the title role because she can portray a young girl with a rural dialect, yet is able to handle the vocal demands and project power,” the company’s artistic director, Peter Mark, says.
“We Americans pride ourselves on our right to privacy and property and are always having our morality tested. Floyd was the son of a minister who grew up in this part of Appalachia. He knew the people and saw them as human beings, not as cartoon characters. But he recognized the dangers that arise when human frailties precipitate mob rule. We’ve done a lot of 20th-century work through the years and this opera was an ideal choice because it makes a powerful statement of topical interests.”
The two Virginia Opera productions at GMU scheduled for the spring are Handel’s “Agrippina” on Feb. 9 and 11, and the twin bills of Cav/Pag (“Cavalleria Rusticana” and “I Pagliacci”) on March 30 and April 1.
‘Susannah’
The Virginia Opera premieres “Susannah” at 8 p.m. tonight and 2 p.m. Sunday.
Venue: George Mason University’s Center for the Arts, Braddock Road and Route 123, Fairfax, Va. (pre-performance discussions free to ticketholders held 45 minutes prior to curtain in hall’s Grand Tier).
Tickets: $44 to $90
More info: 888-945-2468 or www.tickets.com
