NAU Lyric Theatre brings Mozart’s Don Giovanni to life with a modern twist in the form of a live opera movie. This Lumberjack-created opera uses high-tech projection mapping to create a vivid and dynamic world for singers and musicians to perform. It’s an immersive sight that will transform the sets of the theatre with the blink of the light. The show will be held in NAU’s Ardrey Auditorium at 7:30 p.m. on March 31 and at 3 p.m. on April 2. Tickets can be purchased online for $15 for adults, $10 for seniors (65+) and NAU faculty and staff and free for NAU/CCC students with ID and youth (17 & younger).
Melanie Galloway, assistant professor of practice for the Kitt School of Music, collaborated with several departments to achieve this modern twist to a classic tale.
“Music lovers and those involved in scene production will be particularly interested in experiencing this innovative and engaging production. It is sure to inspire any creative looking for a new way to tell a timeless tale,” Galloway said. “Mozart’s Don GIovanni is a musical and theatrical masterpiece and lends itself well to creative and more cutting-edge innovations in opera production.”
The innovative opera production is the result of collaboration between students from several programs within the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, the College of Arts and Letters and the School of Communication. Vocal artists, orchestra members, voice coaches, directors and even digital projection mapping designers have come together to create a unique and immersive experience for the audience. Galloway also collaborated with Ariszally Trevis from Universal Studios in LA who designed the wigs used in the production and flew in from LA to give a “Wig and Hair Workshop” to students. The vision is as large as the team of collaborators, for Mozart’s Don Giovanni.
A compelling tale of the infamous Don Juan that is filled with both serious and comedic elements. The opera follows the story of Giovanni, an amoral man who loves women slightly less than they love him. The audience watches as Giovanni faces the consequences of his actions, ultimately leading to his downfall. This musical masterpiece showcases a notable Mozart contribution to the development of opera in addition to including the creation of fully developed multi-dimensional characters, unique creations and a dynamic setting.
For those who are interested in learning more background on Don Giovanni and opera in general, the Lyric Theatre is offering free pre-show lectures before each performance. These lectures will be free and open to the public and will be held at 6:15 p.m. on March 31 and at 2:15 p.m. on April 2 in NAU’s Ardrey Auditorium, Room 144.
NAU art student Morgan Norris designed masks for the stage using the Cline Library Maker Lab and working with creation commons assistants to 3D print them. “I’m a bit of an all-medium kind of artist and I feel like I’ve gotten the chance to try out a lot of different things here and NAU,” Norris said.
While Norris had plenty of experience sculping figures using clay, sculpting 3D masks using the sculping software, Blender, credits the comfort of switching media forms to the 3D printing class taught by David Van Ness, assistant professor for the School of Art and co-coordinator of New Media Art Emphasis. Similarly, Norris had experience using resin printing, but for the purposes of the Don Giovanni masks, a larger, lighter and more durable finish was required. Having never used the maker lab before this project, Norris was unsure what to expect, but is confident the lab’s PLA 3D printers were the way to go and is pleased with the smooth lines and detailed sculpting of the results.
When Norris explains post-graduation plans, it’s often a curve ball for most. “I want to go into the practical effects industry, making puppets and animatronics for film and theater. It’s a career most don’t think about at first when considering art” Norris said.
Patricia Murphey, professor in the Visual Communication Program and Director of the VisualDESIGNLab facilated the creation of the event’s poster. The VisualDESIGNlab is a collaborative learning space In the Visual Communication Program at the School of Communication, College of Social and Behavioral Sciences. The Don Giovanni poster was a collaborative effort with Galloway, Murphey and her students in the VIsualDESIGNLab. The winning poster was designed by VDL/visual communication student, Sydney Keefer.
“Students, faculty, and the community work together, as active partners, toward innovative solutions for our community. Our goal with any collaborative/interdisciplinary project is to promote social engagement and civic responsibility and provide our students with opportunities to learn and practice design that informs, creates awareness, and entertains the community around us,” Murphey said.
Cynthia Gerber | NAU Communications
(928) 523-7341 | Cynthia.Gerber@nau.edu