The Little Opera Company is about to do something they’ve never done before.

They will be teaming up with the Winnipeg School of Contemporary Dancers for their first Broadway production in the Tony award-winning musical Kismet. The performance will also feature actors, players from musical theatre and classically trained opera singers.

Kismet is a satirical look at Hollywood’s Arabian Nights and according to the Little Opera Company, it’s one of the most challenging Broadway scores to perform. The music was written by Robert Wright and George Forrest and is based on works of Alexander Borodin.  

Ted Stebbing is the director of the show and explains what people can expect.  

“You can expect to be entertained,” said Stebbing. “You will hear beautiful voices, beautiful music and see beautiful dancers and you can expect to have a really good time.”

Stebbing has directed upwards of six productions for Little Opera Company now. He says one of the biggest challenges with this particular show is the changing of sensitivity in the world, with regards to the portrayal of Muslims.  

“We’d read it and cringe sometimes,” said Stebbing. “We’d try to comb through and really focus on the basic aspects of the play like human weakness, falling in love and dastardly deeds.”

“We want to share this sense of humour with the audience but hopefully we’ve been sensitive to the fabric of the show.”

 

Brett Owen plays Dervish and performs during rehersal

 

James Magnus-Johnston plays The Poet, the male lead of the show. He says it’s been a good experience seeing so many different types of performance artists come together.

“Kismet’s not often done but it was first done at the height of the fusion between opera and theatre,” said Magnus-Johnston. “Our production has brought together a number of different artists and it’s cool to see that fusion between so many different disciplines.”

“You get to watch other people and see what they’re doing and you get to respect them for the talent they bring to the show.”

 

 

Kismet runs from May 5-7, 2016 at the Cercle Moliere Performing Arts Theatre at 340 Provencher Blvd.

Tickets for the show are $30 each. For show times and ticket information, visit www.littleopera.ca or call the Prairie Theatre Exchange Box Office at 204-942-5483.

Magnus-Johnston and Lara Secord-Haid – who plays the female lead, Marsinah – will be joining Classic 107 host Sarah Jo Kirsch on The Diamond Lane on Wednesday, May 4, 2016.