ÿþ<html> <head> <title>Madama Butterfly, Johnny Skeekee (Gianni Schicchi) &amp; Sister Angelica (Suor Angelica): Aug. 3-5, 2012</title> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> <meta name="description" content="Official website of Sugar Creek Symphony & Song, a summer opera festival that takes place the first full weekend of August each year. 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About two hours from Chicago, Peoria and Indianapolis, Watseka, Illinois is home to the Sugar Creek Festival.</p> <p>Imagine an all Puccini Opera Festival, a juried art fair, a tour of historic churches and a wine tasting  all in one weekend  <I>far from the maddening crowd</i>.</p> <p>Imagine a summer weekend filled with music enough to make your heart sing! It all begins on Friday, August 3rd with our preview concert at 7:30 PM at the First United Methodist Church in Watseka.</p> <strong>Saturday, August 4th at 7:30 PM</strong><br> <p>Our own Helen Todd stars as Cio-Cio San in the Sugar Creek Symphony and Song production of Giacomo Puccini s beloved <i>Madama Butterfly</i>, the searing love story between an American soldier and a young Japanese woman. The production is sung in Italian with English translations projected above the stage. Helen is joined by a professional cast of celebrated international opera performers, including tenor Jeffrey Hartman starring opposite Helen, as B. F. Pinkerton, the American soldier. Kathryn Cowdrick plays the role of Suzuki, and Grant Youngblood appears as Sharpless. </p> <p>Conducting <i>Madama Butterfly</i> is one of North America s foremost conductors, Joseph Mechavich. Maestro Mechavich has recently conducted <i>Madama Butterfly</i> for the New York City Opera. </p> <p>Stage Director for <i>Madama Butterfly</i>, Suor Angelica and Gianni Schicchi is A. Scott Parry. Mr. Parry s staging is hailed by critics across the country as brilliant, imaginative, spot-on and beautiful. </p> <table width="705" border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <p> <strong>Sunday, August 5 at 3:00 PM</strong><br> <p>The Sugar Creek Apprentice Production of Puccini s <i>Gianni Schicchi</i> (<i>Johnny Skeekee</i>) and <i>Suor Angelica</i> (<i>Sister Angelica</i>) showcases some of this country s brightest young opera performers. Sung in Italian with English translations projected above the stage. </p> <p>Conducting is Bruce Stasyna, highly acclaimed for his skill both as conductor and performer, and Young Artist Program Director for the Palm Beach Opera. </p> <p>Stage direction by A. Scott Parry. </p> <p>Imagine a summer Saturday filled with art, history, and wine, then followed with an evening of beautiful music! </p> <strong>Saturday, August 4th</strong><br> <p>9-4 PM: Sugar Creek Opera Festival s Cherry Street Art Fair, Watseka <br> Noon-4 PM: Sugar Creek Opera Festival s Tour of Historic Churches throughout Iroquois County <br> 4 PM: Wine tasting at Inside Out Gilman <br> 7:30 PM: <i>Madama Butterfly</i>, The Auditorium at Central High School, Clifton, IL </p> <table width="705" border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <p> <strong></strong> </tr> </table> </td> <td width="242" rowspan="10" align="left" valign="top" bgcolor="#EEEBE2"> <p><span class="h2a">2011 Festival Videos</span> <p><b><i>The Daughter of the Regiment</i></b> <p> <iframe width="240" height="166" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Ys9zETjmXPA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> </p> <p><b><i>Little Women</i></b> <p> <iframe width="240" height="166" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/WMWeXdz89mg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> </p> <p><b>Getting Ready</b> <p> <iframe width="240" height="166" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/WXc3sGmLV8w" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> </p> <p> <span class="h2"><strong><a href="http://will.illinois.edu/liveandlocal/" target="_blank">Insight into the Opera</a></strong></span><br> <span class="video-caption-1">General Director, <strong>Helen Todd</strong> and Stage Director <strong>Scott Parry</strong> discussed the 2011 festival on the July 20, 2011 episode of Live and Local with Kevin Kelly, WILL 90.9 FM in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois. <br><a target="_blank" href="http://will.illinois.edu/liveandlocal/program/wednesday-july-20-2011/">Click to Listen</a></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td height="34" colspan="2" bgcolor="#b1ab00 " class="htest">This Season's Operas</td> </tr> <tr> <td height="148" colspan="2" align="left" valign="top" class="intro-text"> <p> <span class="h2">Madama Butterfly</span><br> By Giacomo Puccini<br> A love story of soaring beauty and devastating heartbreak<br> Sung in Italian with English translations projected above the stage<br> <p>Set in the 19th century, an American sailor named Pinkerton arrives in Japan and meets a young Japanese woman he calls Butterfly. She falls in love, but he considers their romance temporary, and asks for her hand even though he has no intention of bringing her back to the States. Even though it means turning her back on her family and her faith, Butterfly marries Pinkerton, who soon leaves her behind. She waits patiently for three years to be reunited with Pinkerton, and to introduce him to their son. When he does return to Japan, Pinkerton brings his new American wife, Kate. Butterfly is heartbroken to learn he does not love her, but has come to take her son back to the United States, leaving her completely alone. </p> <br> <span class="h2">Johnny Skeekee (Gianni Schicchi)</span><br> A comedy by Giacomo Puccini<br> Who says fraud and family don't mix?<br> Sung in Italian with English translations projected above the stage<br> <p>The greedy relatives of the wealthy Buoso Donati (BOO-soh) gather at his deathbed to mourn his passing, and to investigate the details of his will. Young Rinuccio (Rih-NEW-chee-oh) makes his Aunt Zita (ZEE- tah) promise to let him marry his beloved Lauretta if there is enough money. She agrees, but the will reveals the inheritance has been left to a monastery. In desperation, Rinuccio's family turns to Lauretta?s father, the shrewd, self-made man, Johnny Skeekee. At the urging of Lauretta (who sways him with the popular aria, "O mio babbino caro"), Skeekee agrees to help and, with the aid of Rinuccio's family, sets a risky plan in motion. Impersonating the dead man, he sends for the notary, and creates a new will. But Skeekee's role play includes an unexpected twist that will leave everyone reeling!</p> <br> <span class="h2">Sister Angelica (Suor Angelica)</span><br> Sister Angelica has been in a convent for seven years, waiting in vain for word from her family. The other sisters speculate that she was a princess, banished for reasons they have not discovered. One day, a magnificent coach arrives, bearing Angelica's aunt, the Princess. The Princess is cold, and unfriendly to her niece rejecting Angelica's affection. She declares that as payment for the disgrace Angelica brought on the family, she wishes her to sign over her inheritance to her younger sister who is engaged to be married. When Angelica eventually learns the news that she longed to hear, about the secret child who drove her to the convent, she gives into her aunt's request, then takes devastating actions she soon regrets. As the story draws to a close, this abbreviated opera resonates with themes of motherly love, heavenly beauty and redemption. </p> <br><br> </p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td height="34" colspan="2" bgcolor="#b1ab00 " class="htest">Our Past Seasons</td> </tr> <tr> <td height="202" width="365" align="center" valign="top" class="h2"><img src="art10/pagliacci-300x200.png" alt="I pagliacci" width="300" height="200"><br> <em><a href="pagliacci.html">I pagliacci</a></em><a href="pagliacci.html"> (2009)</a><br> <span class="audio-title"><a href="pagliacci.html">cast | photos | video</a></span> </p></td> <td width="322" align="center" valign="top" class="h2"><img src="art10/tenderland-300x200.png" alt="Tender Land" width="300" height="200"><br> <em><a href="tenderland.html">The Tender Land</a></em><a href="tenderland.html"> (2009)</a><br> <span class="audio-title"><a href="tenderland.html">cast | photos</a></span></td> </tr> <tr> <td height="272" align="center" valign="top" class="h2"><img src="art10/Elixir-of-Love-300x200.png" alt="Elixir of Love" width="300" height="200"><br> <em><a href="elixir.html">L'elisir d'amore</a></em><a href="elixir.html"> (2008)</a><br> <span class="audio-title"><a href="elixir.html">cast | photos | video</a></span></td> <td align="center" valign="top" class="intro-text"><p><br> <span><strong>Other Past Seasons:</strong><br> <em>Il barbiere di Siviglia </em>(2010)<em><br> Le nozze di Figaro </em>(2010)<em><br> La traviata</em> (2007) (cast)<br> <em>Mozart and Verdi Concerts</em> (2006) (<a href="artnew/3cast/3cast06.html">cast</a>)<br> <em>La Cenerentola</em> (2005) (<a href="artnew/3cast/3cast05.html">cast</a>)<br> <em>Rom&eacute;o et Juliette</em> (2004) (<a href="artnew/3cast/3cast04.html">cast</a> | <a href="04/prod.html">pics</a>)<br> <em>La boh&egrave;me</em> (2003) (<a href="artnew/3cast/3cast03.html">cast</a>)</p></td> </tr> </table></td> </tr> </table> <script type="text/javascript"> var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? 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