by Philip Marschall

With The Sound of Musiccoming to the Diana Wortham stage this April, the Asheville Lyric Opera is delighted to usher in a beautiful spring. Many people know this uplifting family tale through the Oscar-winning film starring Julie Andrews, but the original Rogers & Hammerstein Broadway musical is no less celebrated and timeless.

ALO Associate Artistic Director Kristen Hedberg will be making her mainstage directorial debut, following last season’s success as director of the youth opera Brundibar. This theater classic is sure to make you laugh, cry, and leave thinking you’ll never stop singing “Doe, a deer” to yourself.

Set in pre-World War II Austria on the verge of German occupation, The Sound of Musicis a captivating story of how music and family can keep us together through even the toughest of times. The musical shows how song emboldens the von Trapp family to stand up for what they believe in. As in the real-life story of Captain Georg von Trapp, the musical family faces real danger, and their story is an inspiration for all who wish to resist militaristic oppression.

The Sound of Musicis a perfect showcase for the directorial talents of ALO’s very own Kristen Hedberg. Not only does she hold a degree in musical theater, but she has worked extensively in the past with young singers as the educational director for the Asheville Lyric Opera before assuming her current role as Associate Artistic Director. Her work as director for Brundibar has also helped prepare her for staging a work featuring so many young voices.

Don’t expect her to tone down the emotions because of the kids, though—Ms. Hedberg is planning a very realistic production. Expect to be delighted by beautiful, carefree melodies while being simultaneously struck by the true gravity of the situation. As anyone who had the pleasure to see Ms. Hedberg’s recent performance as Despina in Così fan tuttecan attest, her attention to detail on stage is impeccable, and she is sure to impart her astute sense of timing and characterization on this production as well.

The wealth of local artistic talent in WNC will be on full display with Amanda Horton and Roberto Flores as the two main characters. Ms. Horton will bring her beautiful soprano to the role of Maria, while the commanding presence of the Captain will be equaled by Mr. Flores’ titanic voice. Both are well-known in the area and have previously appeared on the ALO stage.

Ms. Horton has sung several leading roles with Asheville Lyric Opera in recent seasons including Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro and Adina in L’elisir d’amore. Captain von Trapp is Mr. Flores’ debut in a principle role with the ALO, but he has appeared in both musical theater and opera, with credits in Grease, Godspell, Don Giovanni and Carmento his name.

Another cast highlight is Simone Vigilante as the Mother Abbess. Not only is Ms. Vigilante a talented artist in her own right, appearing in Asheville Lyric Opera productions since 2002, but she is also a dedicated voice teacher in the community, and is very excited to appear alongside several of her students in The Sound of Music.

This is a perfect example of why there is so much excitement surrounding this production: many members of Western North Carolina’s artistic family coming together to put on a much-beloved piece about the importance of family and music. This is something we can all relate to, and it is the Opera’s hope that many entire families will be in the audience for this great event!

Everyone familiar with the ALO will also be excited to know that the same design team is returning from the past several productions. Julie Ross, whose stage work never fails to impress, returns as set designer. Her beautiful scenic design for the recent Così fan tuttehas already garnered many plaudits.

Jayne Harnett-Hargrove will once again handle costumes, many of which will be hand-made. Sylvia Pierce of Scenery Concepts, Inc., will construct the set, as she has for many past ALO shows. Opera is at its best when many talented artists collaborate, and the ALO is certainly lucky to have these very gifted visual artists on board.

This show is not to be missed, as it features an exclusively local cast. To accommodate the high demand, a special Sunday matinee will be added.

Performances will take place Friday, April 20; Saturday, April 21; and Sunday, April 22. The Friday and Saturday performances will be at 8 p.m., while the Sunday matinee will begin at 3 p.m. Tickets are available online at www.dwtheatre.com, or by calling the Diana Wortham Theatre box office at (828) 257-4530.