CEDAR CITY – The Orchestra of Southern Utah will presents its Winter Concert, Bravo Opera!, tonight in the Heritage Center.

OSU will perform an evening of some of the world’s most popular operatic pieces, including the Overture “The Flying Dutchman,” arias from “Carmen,” a portion of “La Bohème,” arias from “The Magic Flute,” and a humorous duet from “Mikado.” The “Egmont Overture” by Beethoven will round out the concert.

The performance will be conducted by OSU Conductor and Music Director Xun Sun. Major sponsors are the Dixie and Anne Leavitt Foundation/Rotary Club and the Sterling and Shelli Gardner Foundation.

Richard Wagner set the tragic love story of the Flying Dutchman in Norway. The Overture is a storm of musical sound, with the wailing wind and tumultuous waves of a sea tempest. The Captain experiences hope and despair as he tries to find his true love and escape his curse of sailing the sea until Judgment Day.

Southern Utah University professors, soprano Carol Ann Modesitt and tenor Lawrence Johnson, will perform as Bravo Opera! guest artists.

Modesitt is an experienced soloist with opera, musical theatre, and recital credits nationwide as well as performances internationally. Her solo debut at Carnegie Hall was in March of 2002 as she toured throughout the United States. She currently heads the SUU voice area, and is the opera/musical theatre director. She has directed more than 40 productions at SUU.

Johnson has sung extensively throughout the Midwest and Southwest, as well as such diverse venues as Munich, Germany and Disneyworld. Possessing degrees in voice and piano performance, Johnson has also accompanied numerous concerts, operas, recitals, and shows. Among his many operatic roles performed, Rodolfo, Werther, and Don José remain his all-time favorites.

Modesitt and Johnson sing “Habanera” and “La fleur tu m’avais jetée” (The Flower Song) from “Carmen” by Georges Bizet, and “Che gelida manina,” “Si, mi chiamano Mimi”, and the final duet of Act One from “La Boheme” by Giacomo Puccini.

Soprano Kim Padilla sings “Der Hölle Rache” from “Die Zauberflöte” (The Magic Flute) by Mozart; soprano Samantha Ontiveros and baritone Corbin Iverson sing the duet “Pa-Pa-Pa” from the same opera. “The Magic Flute” is Mozart’s most famous opera.

Mezzo-soprano Sarah Maxwell and tenor Matthew Clegg perform “Were you not to Ko-Ko plighted” from the comic opera “Mikado” by Gilbert and Sullivan.

Beethoven captures the high drama of theater music with his Overture to “Egmont.” This music written in 1810 has become a symbol of resistance to tyranny. It contrasts themes of the Spanish invaders and the anguish of the conquered Flemish people. The hero becomes a martyr and an inspiration to fight for freedom. The tragedy, written by Goethe, was enhanced by this powerful music.

The evening of famous opera begins at 7:30 p.m. and doors open at 6:45 p.m. Anna and Sarah Sun and Anna and Tammy Tremea will present the pre-concert lobby music.

OSU requests children only attend if they are over the age of 6, as the concerts are recorded and podcast worldwide.

The cost is $10 for adults, $5 for students, and $30 for a group of six. For more information on the concert or podcasts, please visit the OSU website at orchestraofsouthernutah.org. or call 435-586-2286.