OPERA THEATRE of SAINT LOUIS By: Jorie Jacobi Photog raphy: Car men Troesser Opera is a contemporary art form at Opera T h e a t r e o f S a i n t L o u i s . W a t c h O T S L’s r e n d i t i o n of “Regina,” in which acclaimed mezzo-soprano Susan Graham plays the title role of a conniving female anti-hero who alienates everyone in h e r l i f e f o r s a k e o f p o w e r. O r s e e c l a s s i c “ L a traviata,” which tells the story of Parisian courtesan Violetta, who unexpectedly falls in love with a young Frenchman. Both classics are transformed into modern mainstage productions a t O p e r a T h e a t r e d u r i n g t h i s y e a r ’s s e a s o n . Founded in 1976, the organization showcases historic masterworks alongside innovations through t h e N e w W o r k s , B o l d Vo i c e s p r o g r a m , i n w h i c h t h e organization commissions a composer to create an o r i g i n a l o p e r a . T h i s s e a s o n ’s p r o d u c t i o n s c h e d u l e showcases one such work, called “An American S o l d i e r, ” t h e t r u e s t o r y o f C h i n e s e - A m e r i c a n U.S. Army soldier Danny Chen, who served in Afghanistan. The recipient of extreme hazing from his fellow soldiers, Chen committed suicide in 2011 at the age of 19. Composer Huang Ruo and librettist David Henry Hwang tell the stinging story with tenderness, ultimately raising deeper questions about what it means to be American.
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