You may know Steve Solkela as the accordion player in his "overpopulated" one-man band, but do you know Uberto, the wealthy Italian bachelor? This September, Solkela is bringing Giovanni Battista Pergolesi's 70-minute comic relief opera, La Serva Padrona, to the Northland.
"I've just always loved the storytelling aspect of it," says Solkela in response to his affinity for musicals and opera. La Serva Padrona has been performed since the 1730s, but Solkela will be taking his own modern English spin on this classic. This will also be Solkela's first production under his own LLC.
Solkela humorously describes this production as a "half-time show for a dramatic opera", and the perfect introduction to opera for any newcomers. The opera stars three performers: Jessica Moss as the maid, Solkela as the wealthy bachelor, and Branden Taus as the mute butler. Costuming is done by Miranda Stachowicz and tech by Pete Anderson.
La Serva Padrona will be showing at 7pm, September 11 & 12 at the Lyric Center for the Arts in Virginia, MN, and September 13-15 at the Douglas County Historical Society in Superior, WI, with a 2pm matinee on Sunday.
You can hear Community Connection every Tuesday and Thursday at 8am on Northland Morning. This edition of Community Connection is made possible in part by Lakewalk Surgery Center.
