and

present

Music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Words and story adaptation by John Davies

Saturday, October 9, 2021
1 P.M. and 3:30 P.M.
Avondale Amphitheater

Christy Vest, music director
Kristin Kenning, stage director

CAST
(in order of vocal appearance)

Cherubino…..Caitlyn Rodrigue* ^
Govianni…..Joseph Robinson ^
Despina…..DeLee Michiko Benon* ^
Wolfgang Bigbad…..Chris Farley

* denotes Opera Birmingham debut
^ denotes members of the Opera Birmingham Studio at Samford University

Production Stage Manager…Lilly Burchfield
Scenic Designer…Lynne Hutton
Costume Designer…Mary Gurney
Sound Designer….Anna Angeles

The Three Little Pigs will be performed in one act with no intermission.
Approximate run time is 45 minutes.

This production has been made possible, in part, by a generous contribution from Medical Properties Trust, by grants from Alabama State Council on the Arts, The Caring Foundation of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama, The Daniel Foundation of Alabama, Hugh Kaul Foundation, and National Endowment for the Arts, and by support from Alabama Media Group. Student tickets are supported by The Caring Foundation of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama.

The students of the Opera Birmingham Studio at Samford University are sponsored by Michael J. and MaryAnne Freeman, in celebration of their 30th wedding anniversary.

The musical director is made possible by the generous support by Patricia Pritchett.

The costumes bring the characters to life thanks to the support of Babs Buchanan.

Alabama Media Group is the Official Media Sponsor of Opera Birmingham

Opera Birmingham acknowledges we are on the traditional land of the Kosati speaking Mvskoke (Muscogee/Creek) People. Alabama has been home to the Alabama, Biloxi, Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, and Mobile Tribes—including the Abihka, Alabama-Coushatta, Coosa, Tallapoosa, and the Yuchi Peoples—and is home to the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, the Cherokee Tribe of Northeast Alabama, the Echota Cherokee Tribe of Alabama, the Machis Lower Creek Tribe, the Mowa Band of Choctaw, and the Star Clan of Muskogee Creeks. We honor and thank the Indigenous peoples connected to this territory and give gratitude to this land.

PLEASE SILENCE ALL CELL PHONES, ALARM WATCHES, AND OTHER ELECTRONIC DEVICES.

THANK YOU!

My introduction to opera and classical music happened when I was a kid – not from my parents playing it for me, but from watching cartoons. Bugs Bunny spoofed Wagner in “What’s Opera, Doc?” (I can’t hear the Ride of the Valkyries without singing “Kill the Rabbit” in my head), used the overture of The Barber of Seville to give Elmer Fudd an interesting haircut, and used his power as the conductor Leopold to put a tenor through his paces. Opera singers made frequent appearances on Sesame Street as well, including Marilyn Horne singing “C is for cookie” in a pretty elaborate costume from Aida, and a whole episode devoted to Placido Flamingo’s new opera La Via Sesamia. Since opera is basically telling a story through music and song, it’s not surprising it makes an appearance is so many children’s shows. If you think about it, who other than Bugs Bunny could really pull off a role like Brunhilde?

I hope we can capture some of that fun and introduce another generation of kids to opera through our annual children’s opera performances. This year’s The Three Little Pigs is one of my favorite children’s shows, using Mozart’s clever tunes to bring the familiar fairy tale to life. And this version of the story has a fun twist – while the two brother’s just want to play and have fun, their sister Despina Pig goes to the library and gets a book to find out how to build a house to protect her from Wolfgang Big Bad. The Three Little Pigs is filled with colorful sets and costumes, crazy antics on the stage, and high-energy music. It’s a prefect afternoon for children of all ages to hear this classic story set to music. And you don’t have to be a kid to enjoy the show. There’s plenty of fun to be had for the young at heart!

Keith A. Wolfe-Hughes
General Director

Birmingham Parks and Recreation

Friends of Avondale Park

One Place Metro Alabama Family Justice Center

Samford University School of the Arts and Dr. Joseph Hopkins, Dean

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While brother pigs Don Giovanni and Cherubino set off to make homes of sticks and straw, their sister, Despina, goes to the library to read up on "huff-proof, puff-proof" home construction. After Wolfgang Bigbad blows down the boys’ flimsy homes, they run to their sister’s sturdy new brick house quite ready to admit that going to the library and reading books is a pretty smart thing to do after all.