November 14, 2017

The Benjamin T. Rome School of Music at The Catholic University of America presents two operas this week reflecting on the search for “happily ever after” with a double feature of The Old Maid and the Thief and Doctor Miracle. Performances will take place in Ward Recital Hall from Nov. 16 through Nov. 19.

Written by Gian Carlo Menotti, The Old Maid and the Thief premiered as an NBC radio opera in 1939 and was brought to the stage two years later. A dark comedy, it tells the story of two moral citizens who turn criminal to entice a handsome stranger.

Though it was written eight decades earlier by Georges Bizet, Doctor Miracle also explores the extreme lengths a person will go to for secure companionship. The opera, which was translated into English by Catholic University voice professor James Hampton, follows a young soldier who wears a disguise to be near the woman he loves.

The opera double feature, which stars both undergraduate and graduate students, is directed by Hampton, drawing inspiration from the radio shows of the 1920s and ‘30s. Music doctoral candidates Daniel Peterson, Kathryn Freeburn, and Jose Antonio Espinal will serve as student conductors.

Performances will take place in Ward Recital Hall Nov. 16 through Nov. 18, at 7:30 p.m., and Nov. 19, at 2 p.m. Tickets are $20 for general admission; $10 for seniors, Catholic University alumni, faculty, and staff, and members of the military; and $5 for students and those under 18. For more information or to buy tickets, visit music.catholic.edu or call 202-319-5414.

MEDIA: To schedule an interview or attend a performance, contact the Office of Marketing and Communications at communications@cua.edu or 202-319-5600.