Arts & Life

Girl Rescues Boy In Lyric Opera's 'The Italian Girl In Algiers'

KCUR | By Julie Denesha

Published November 8, 2014 at 5:57 PM CST

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The aviatrix Isabella (mezzo-soprano Irene Roberts) embarks on a rescue mission to save the enslaved Lindoro, and crashes her plane on the beach.

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Isabella is taken prisoner, but not before winning over the men with her charm.

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At the palace, Isabella sits next to her ‘uncle’ Taddeo (bass Ben Wagner) and resists the advances of the Turkish Bey Mustafa (bass Patrick Carfizzi).";s:

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Isabella and her enslaved Italian lover Lindoro (tenor Taylor Stayton) come face to face.

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Isabella again resists Mustafa, tugging at his beard.

Julie Denesha / KCUR

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Isabella and Lindoro escape from Mustafa’s palace.";

Julie Denesha / KCUR

As the Kansas City Symphony warmed up in the pit, some 300 metro-area students filed into Muriel Kauffman Theatre for The Lyric Opera of Kansas City’s Thursday night dress rehearsal. The production of "The Italian Girl in Algiers" updates Gioachino Rossini’s zany farce by turning the heroine Isabella (Irene Roberts) into an adventurous aviatrix. She's determined to rescue her one true love Lindoro (Taylor Stayton) who has been taken captive by the Turkish Bey Mustafa (Patrick Carfizzi).

Micah Welch, 18, a senior at St. Teresa's Academy and a Ginger Frost High School Honors Artist, said it was Isabella, the plucky heroine, who captured her attention.

During intermission, Micah Welch, 18, a senior at St. Teresa's Academy and a Ginger Frost High School Honors Artist, said it was Isabella, the plucky heroine, who captured her attention.

"They [women in opera] are either evil or they’re very meek, or they’re the sidekick," Welch said. "I think it’s great. I believe this is the first time I’ve seen a female character in opera so strong in a good way. She is definitely the protagonist in the story."

Sitting next to Welch was 10-year-old Kaitlyn Borgelt, a fifth grader at Sunnyside Elementary and a veteran of two Lyric Opera Summer Camps. Borgelt said she was impressed with the special effects onstage.

Ten-year-old Kaitlyn Borgelt, a fifth grader at Sunnyside elementary and a veteran of two Lyric Opera Summer Camps said she was impressed with the special effects onstage.

"There were a lot of things going on so there was a lot to look at,” Borgelt said. “I wasn’t expecting the plane. That was definitely out of the ordinary."

Borgelt’s first experience with opera was watching "Phantom of the Opera" with her father.

"I fell in love with the music and I watched it over and over and over," Borgelt said. "I was so obsessed with it that I got into opera."

For both girls, mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato’s performance of the National Anthem during the final game of the World Series made a big impression.

"She is so laid back and cool," Welch said. "Things don’t really phase her. If I had to sing at the World Series I wouldn’t know what to do."

"I am obsessed with her, but don’t tell her I said that," she added with a laugh.

Lyric Opera of Kansas City presents “The Italian Girl in Algiers,” November 8-16, Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, 16th and Broadway, Kansas City, Mo. 816-471-7344.