Countless Americans relish coffee, whether hot, iced, frothy, sweetened, or creamed. The Lincoln Opera Outreach Project commemorates our caffeine commitment at 7:30 p.m. Monday, March 31, in Ramsey Theatre, located in the Peterson Fine Arts Building at Wayne State College. The six-member ensemble will present a modern adaption of Johann Sebastian Bach’s “Coffee Cantata,” and the audience can expect coffee, cookies, and brownies after the concert.
This performance is free and open to the public, and it will also be livestreamed. To view the livestream, visit www.wsc.edu/watch-live. The program is also accessible by selecting the event from the “Upcoming Music Events” list at www.wsc.edu/music-department.
The “Coffee Cantata” was first performed between 1734 and 1735 at Zimmermann's Coffee House in Leipzig, Germany, a cafe frequented by Bach. This comedic micro-opera entitled “Schweigt stille, plaudert nicht” (translation: Be still, stop chattering) follows the drama between a daughter with a well-developed caffeine habit and her father who finds her dependency excessive. The Lincoln Opera Project splashes café-themed musical theatre selections between movements of Bach’s masterpiece.
Founded and based in Lincoln, the group aims to bring opera and musical theatre to the Midwest through creative, innovative, and high-quality performances. Ensemble members include Krista Lawrence, soprano; Trey Meyer, baritone; Sebastian Sorensen, tenor; Jeremy Duck, pianist; Rose Anahita Khorsandi, flutist; and Riley Beranek, cello.
For more information, contact the Wayne State Department of Music at 402-375-7359.
