Less talk,more tunes

Jennifer Etsitty/Arizona Summer Wildcat
The character Viceroy and his henchmen are on the look out for a suitable husband for La Perichole in the summer music event "La Perichole" which runs June 25-27, at 8 pm and June 28, at 3 pm.

The style of an operetta can be described using the name itself - a short opera, or "light opera," as is more commonly used. "Operettas are meant as... light-hearted entertainment - nothing serious," said Charles Roe, director of the Summerfest '98 and UA Opera Theatre production of "La PÚeacute;richole," which opens tomorrow at 8 p.m. in Crowder Hall. A style that preceded musical theater, and originated in France, operettas are the silly side of the high-brow intensity of the genre known as Opera.

The University of Arizona Opera Theatre, which usually does full operas during the year (coming this fall: "The Barber of Seville"), likes to do operettas in the summer because they are so much more relaxed - who wants to subject themselves to hours and hours of foreign-tongued, Baroque-style overtures and extensive plots when it's 109 outside? The singers themselves don't want to do it. They have to wet their whistles enough as it is.

"La PÚeacute;richole," by Jacques Offenbach, is the story of two lovers who are too poor to afford a marriage license. They traverse the Peruvian countryside, serenading street folk with their voices and guitars, in hopes for a nickel to silence their starving bellies. One day, they happen upon a village on the birthday of the Viceroy, and entertain the townspeople, only to be left penniless and hungry again. When the Viceroy sees PÚeacute;richole, he falls in love with her, and offers her a room in his palace... which is all fine and well except that PÚeacute;richole dearly loves her partner in poverty, Paquillo. But the law clearly states that no woman can live in the palace unless she is married. So the Viceroy sends his men off to find a single Peruvian male to wed PÚeacute;richole, who is overjoyed at the prospect of having a steady supply of food. Strangely enough, the search turns up none other than Paquillo, and the two are wed in a drunken stupor, without either of them realizing what's happening.

And the plot goes from there, resolving happily, of course, but not without turmoil and the ever-important, long-incarcerated political prisoner. All three acts take place in a little more than two hours, which includes two intermissions. The Viceroy is played by Paul Kreider, a professional signer who is finishing up his doctoral work at the UA. PÚeacute;richole is played by Vanessa Salaz, a senior, for the Thursday and Saturday shows, and Karen Hogle, a graduate student, on Friday and Saturday. The entire cast is made up of music students, with the exceptions of the dean of the College of Fine Arts, who has a comic role in the 3rd Act, and the mother of one of the students, who is in the chorus.

Jennifer Etsitty/Arizona Summer Wildcat
A performer from the opera "La Perichole" by Jacques Offenbach practices her snake dance yesterday at Crowder Hall. The opera, set in 19th century Lima, deals with Paquillo and La Perichole, two street singers, and their exploits.

Offenbach is well known for his satirical operettas written in the 1860s and '70s, which went on to inspire Gilbert and Sullivan, who got their big break with a supplemental piece they wrote for a performance of "La PÚeacute;richole" in 1874 called "Trial by Jury." Ultimately, "La PÚeacute;richole" has all the same theatrical qualities of your average comedic musical, except the songs aren't as catchy and you don't have to worry about people singing them obsessively in public.

"La PÚeacute;richole" will be performed Thursday, June 25 through Saturday, June 27 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, June 28, at 3 p.m. in Crowder Hall in the Music Building. Tickets are $5 for students and seniors, $8 for UA employees, and $10 for the general public.