By Abigail Youngblood

Archivist 

Picturing a night at the opera may include a glamorous affair with fur coats and bubbly champagne, but the opera at CSU Bakersfield was a very different affair.

People began to fill the theater in a causal and relaxed manner as they arrived with their families and friends to support the actors they knew.

While some performances fell flat, others rose to the occasion and took command of the stage. The performers were accompanied by the delightful pianist Soo-Yeon Park Chang.

The show began with a deceitful curtain raiser as a dry, underwhelming performance of “La Revoltosa (The Troublemaker).” The story centers on a girl, Mari Pepa, who cannot get the attention of the boy she likes, so decides to flirt with some men around town in the hopes of getting his attention.

It may sound like an entertaining performance, but I found myself being more entertained watching Chang’s assistant turning the sheet music as the character of Mari Pepa dryly flirted with three men who were far more disturbing in their adamant flirting than doe-eyed.

I say this curtain raiser was deceitful because it was in no way a reflection of the show to follow and I think that is was an unfortunate choice to open with this performance. I suppose if you have to, it is better to put the worst first and build up to a better show, or in this case, sky rocket.

The second story, “La Divina,” starred the guest artist Rebekah Barton who provided one of the two most entertaining performances of the night as an aging prima-donna preparing for her final recital. Barton took command of the stage before she even stepped out, as the audience could hear her vocals approaching the stage.

She took advantage of every moment and gesture her character preformed. She played to the audience and it did not go unnoticed or unappreciated by those of us watching. She played the role wonderfully as a diva, and nailed the moments of her character’s serious reflections as she neared the end of her career.

She was able to keep the audience with her throughout her performance and received a well-deserved applause at the end.

The third performance, “Trial by Jury,” included a stage full of characters preparing for trial, including a young woman who is suing a man for not marrying her and leaving her for another woman. His defense is simple: when you finish breakfast you move on to dinner.

The all-male jury was appalled at his actions and proceeded to tell the woman how gorgeous she was making them the most biased and aggressive jury known to man.

The most engaging character was the judge who was played by David Allen Alvarez. With an eccentric drunk personality he was the most lively and humorous character of the bunch. At the end of the trial the judge decides to marry the woman himself and everyone is thrilled with this decision.

As each of the actors took their bow, it was of course Alvarez who played the judge that received a roar of applause for his amusing role.

The show ended on a good note with the audience having been entertained as the one night of opera finished.