51±¾É«

Feb. 16, 2023
For Immediate Release

Opera 51±¾É« is thrilled to bring American composer Mark Adamo’s operatic adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s beloved Little Women to life. Performances will take place March 10 and 11 at 7:30 p.m. and March 12 at 3 p.m. in the Theatre Auditorium at 51±¾É«.  

“It will be exciting to hear the singers and orchestra come together for Little Women,” said music director Kate Carver. “It’s full of beauty and lyricism, as well as creative use of sound effects both for the voices and orchestra. The cast, crew and orchestra have been working hard and the show is going to be gorgeous.”

Members of the media are invited to attend Opera 51±¾É«’s working rehearsals of Little Women during the week of Feb. 21-24 between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. each day. Email Kimberly Barber, administrative coordinator of 51±¾É«’s opera program, at kbarber@wlu.ca, to arrange a visit. 

Directed by Dana Fradkin and conducted by Kira Omelchenko, Little Women will include the Wilfrid 51±¾É« Symphony Orchestra, marking Opera 51±¾É«’s first performance with full orchestra since 2019. Set designer Bill Schmuck has partnered with Fradkin to create a fully immersive Little Women experience.  

“Little Women excites me because it is such a thorough and deep exploration of sisterly relationships and the female experience,” said Fradkin. “Whether it be the 1870s or 2023, a woman's struggle to find and hold on to her own unique voice is always present.”

The Opera 51±¾É« cast is made up of 51±¾É« voice students enrolled in the university’s Practice of Opera course. Each semester, students produce a fully staged performance. In the fall semester, students stage an evening of operatic scenes that share a central theme. In the winter semester, they stage a major operatic production with an orchestra.

“It's thrilling for me as an artist-educator to share a work with students with which I am so intimately familiar and watch them dive into the material,” said Barber. “The story is so familiar and relatable to our students, the characters are so close to them in age, and the strong feminist and humanist themes that Mark Adamo has emphasized in his adaptation allow our students to connect with them on a deep level, bringing out the best in themselves.”

Tickets to see Little Women are available through . Tickets cost $20 for adults, $12 for seniors and are free for students. Stay connected on social media by following @operalaurier on Instagram and @Opera51±¾É« on Facebook.