‘The Merry Widow’ by Franz Léhar is among one of the most famous operettas in history. Operetta literally means “small opera” and is more like an American Broadway show than a traditional opera. This version is a brand new translation, libretto and dialogue, written by Mission Opera Artistic & Executive Director, Dr. Joshua Wentz and set in the 1980s! The show is in English and will feature a wide variety of dancing, including vogue, classic Viennese waltzing, the can-can, and a men’s kick line. The show will have you roaring with laughter at the comedic dialogue, as you take a trip down memory lane remembering the fashion and the culture of the glamorous 80’s, as the British Crown and Rock Stars like Elton John, Freddie Mercury, and George Michael desperately try to hold on to power. 

Mission Opera veteran Jessica Schneiderman stars as Madonna (yes, that Madonna), alongside MO newcomer Julia Behdudov in the titular role. The show also marks the debut performances of Jacob Stucki as George Michael and Lily Berthold as Princess Di, joined on stage by returning cast members Gabriel Manro, Eric Castro, Kirk Garner, Robert Dunlap, Jason Vincent, and Catherine Samartin. Maestro Brian Stone returns to the helm of the orchestra with Music Director & Accompanist Lindsay Aldana. 

The production is directed by Mission Opera Artistic Director, Dr. Joshua Wentz and features a multimedia design on the 46’ LED screen, creatively combining traditional theater with contemporary video design and virtual settings. “This show is a wonderful treat for anyone who doesn’t know about opera but loves musicals and theater. This hybrid show features folk music, dance, and an experience that one would more likely find on Broadway than in an opera house.” The entire performance will last 2 hours and 5 minutes, which includes a 15 minute intermission.

Synopsis

The show opens in Buckingham Palace where UK Royalty and Rock Stars are in crisis, realizing the Americans have taken over the pop culture world and the British Invasion could be over. Prince Charles and Princess Diana have arranged another Live Aid event to encourage British pop stars to reach new heights and achieve a second British Invasion. The path becomes clear when the American Madonna agrees to come and perform. The only way to stay on top is if one of the British glam rock stars woos her to wed so that she will declare British citizenship and put the Crown back on top. 

Prince Charles battles with the flirting Princess Diana as he works to protect the royal image, but George Michael’s mix tape and new song he wrote to her makes it hard for her to stay faithful. Meanwhile, Elton John can’t stop partying at the Roxy with the glamorous young dancing girls (and boys) long enough to court Madonna and try to convince her to become British. Will Boy George or Freddie Mercury have better luck?
 

Dr. Joshua Wentz moved to Los Angeles in 2016 to take a position as a music professor at Los Angeles Mission College, a Hispanic-serving institution of higher learning, in Sylmar. Almost immediately, he realized that the students coming into his music classes from the NE San Fernando Valley were seriously lacking in musical background, experience, and education. He wondered why students over the years were coming to college less prepared and struggling to do well academically. After some research, he realized that most of the feeder schools in and around Sylmar didn't have strong music programs — many had no music programs at ALL!

This was a major factor that helped Wentz realize the need for music education in the SFV and led to the creation of Mission Opera. This lack of music education, paired with the absence of performance opportunities and hands-on training for community college students, helped the realization that Mission Opera could target and help multiple disadvantaged communities. Mission Opera is a performing arts education nonprofit who produces 3-4 full, mainstage operas each year. Also, our Boxtop Opera Educational Outreach program serves part of our mission to go into low-funded schools in and around LA to teach children about opera and classical music, through live performances with three singers, a pianist and a sound tech with a "box" of props and costume pieces. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we had various types of instrumental and vocal music online programs and went into over a dozen local schools to assist teachers in teaching music - a hard-to-covert discipline - during the pandemic.

Mission Opera strives to produce high-quality, accessible opera and musical theater, to provide members of the community the opportunity to participate at all levels of these productions, and to afford both participants and audiences enjoyment and a deeper appreciation of opera and musical theater.

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