Love Games (a new musical)
The UI Opera Studio Premieres “Love Games”- a new musical on April 29 & 30, 2014. The production was dedicated to the memory of David Lloyd (1920 -2013), who served as Director of the UI Illinois Opera Theatre from 1971 to 1985.
2014 Premiere Production Logo Image created by artist Lydia Sopoligia Maxwell. Poster graphic design assistance by Griffin Candey & Natalie Fiol (Image used with permission)
"Love Games", a new musical adaptation of Arthur Schnitzler’s play "Reigen", (known in film & drama as “La Ronde), has two acts featuring a cast of ten & instrumental trio - piano, harp, & cello
Music & Book Adaptation by Joseph Turrin
Central Illinois audiences are familiar with Mr. Turrin from his opera “Scarecrow” performances at the Krannert Center, CU Symphony performance of his film sound track to “Miss Sadie Thompson” at the Ebert Festival, and performances of “Hemispheres” by the UI Wind Ensemble in addition to his numerous film scores, compositions, and recordings.
Lyrics Judy Spencer & Robert Morgan
Stage Director Stephen Fiol
Choreographer Rebecca Nettl-Fiol
Script editors Susan C. Boyle, Stephen Fiol, & Barbara Hedlund
Logo Artist Lydia Sopoligia Maxwell
Graphic Design Assistance Griffin Candey & Natalie Fiol
Properties & Set Design Jane Siebold & Emily Lohrbach
Costumes & Production Intern Susan C. Boyle
Lighting Design Michelle Benda
Stage Manager Jamie Fuller
Rehearsal Accompanists Timothy Accurso & Matt Gladden
UI Faculty Advisors John Dayger/Costumes
J. Michael Griggs/Set, Julie Rundell/Props
Opera Studio Directors Ricard Herrera & Dawn Harris
Associate Producers Stephen Fiol & Barbara Hedlund
2014 Krannert Center Premiere Cast Members
Prostitute (Leocadia) – Alto Caitlin Powell & Izsis Mollinedo *
Soldier (Franz) – Lyric Baritone Christopher Anderson
Chambermaid – Sopranos Kelly Knecht & Margaret Blackburn*
Young Gentleman - Lyric Baritone David Catalano
Young Wife – Sopranos Cristin Colvin & Alexandra Rolfs
Husband (Karl) – Lyric Baritones Lyle Jackson & Richard Schonberg *
Sweet Young Girl – Sopranos Kathleen Myers * & Madeline Whitesell
Poet (Robert) – Tenor Griffin Candey
Actress – Soprano Ellen Denham
Count – Lyric Baritone Edward Brennan
* performing April 30, 2014
Instrumental Trio: Music Director/Pianist - Timothy Accurso, Harp - Claire Happel, Violoncello - Barbara Hedlund (for whom the cello part was written)
Pre-Performance Symposium
Schnitzler's Scandals: Reconstructing the socio-historical & cultural contexts of Reigen (1897) / Love Games (2013)
April 29, 2014 - 1:30-4PM
The UI School of Music Building Auditorium 1114 W. Nevada St., Urbana, IL 61801
Discussions on Viennese playwright Arthur Schnitzler (whose play
“Reigen” is the basis for “Love Games”), the late 19th Century Vienna, Schnitzler's connections to Sigmund Freud, and of changing moral norms during the Austro-Hungarian era.
This event is a collaboration with the UI School of Music, Stage Director Stephen Fiol, Carl Niekerk, UI Professor of German, Comparative and World Literature, and Jewish Studies, Head of the Department of Germanic Languages and Literatures, & Max Kade Distinguished Visiting Professor Margrit Vogt.
Pre-Performance Libretto Sessions
April 29 & April 30, 2014 - 6PM Krannert Room - Free admission
with Stage Director Stephen Fiol and Cellist/Associate Producer Barbara Hedlund.
Due to weather issues, composer Joseph Turrin's flights were cancelled on 4/28. He was unable to join us in person, but appeared on Live & Local on WILL Radio by phone at 4pm on 4/28 and on Skype in the Krannert Room.
For the April 30th Libretto session, additional speakers will include Professors Carl Niekerk & Margrit Vogt from the UI Department of Germanic Languages and Literatures who are experts on Viennese playwright Arthur Schnitzler (whose play “Reigen” is the basis for “Love Games”).
Performances - Free admission
Tuesday, April 29, 2014 -7:30PM Wednesday, April 30, 2014 - 7:30PM -
Location Colwell Playhouse /Krannert Center for the Performing Arts. 500 S. Goodwin Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
Krannert Center Tickets
http://www.krannertcenter.com/buytickets.asp
• Online • Tel. 217/333-6280 or 800/KCPATIX
• In person at the Ticket Office (10am-6pm daily)
• By mail with a printed ticket order form
• By e-mail at kran-tix@illinois.edu
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Creating “Love Games” from composer Joseph Turrin
The idea of turning Arthur Schnitzler's play La Ronde into a musical theater piece was conceived while I was in residence at William Paterson University in New Jersey. At the time, I worked as a music director at the university and collaborated with director Robert Morgan on several musicals. Morgan and I set our minds to developing La Ronde into a play with a few songs and incidental music. The show was produced at the university in this small format.
Many years later the musical was expanded with additional songs and lyrics by Judy Spencer. This version was produced as a professional Equity Showcase at Theater on the Mall in Paramus, New Jersey. The theater was run by producer and writer Robert Ludlum. The production ran for several weeks and received positive reviews by the NY Times and Princeton Spectrum.
“Mr. Turrin's intricate duets, with their echoes of Weill and Sondheim burst forth with unrestrained panache. All this makes Love Games far more tonic than most summer diversions and certainly something to see." - NY Times
This current production is basically the same show with the addition of script alterations and expansion to an instrumental trio to include a cello part written for my long time colleague Barbara Hedlund.
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Hosts Ronald & Barbara Hedlund, Stephen Fiol, & Cara Chowning request the honor of your presence at That’s Amore - Your Ultimate Valentine’s Dinner Experience & Love Songs Serenade
Impress your sweetheart with an extra special Valentine's celebration. Show your devotion with a romantic evening of fine dining with five choices of specially selected main courses,wine & dessert as you present a rose from Rick Orr Flowers, and enjoy enchanting love songs performed just for you. A truly enchanted evening!
Noted performers include baritone Ronald Hedlund, cellist Barbara Hedlund, pianist Cara Chowning, MC/Stage Director Stephen Fiol, & “Love Games” cast members Maggie Blackburn, Edward Brennan, Griffin Candey, Izsis Mollinedo, & Caitlin Powell.
Date: Sunday, February 9, 2014 at 6PM
Location: Minneci’s at the Crossing Restaurant
2501 Village Green, Champaign, IL 61822
Tel. 217.366.9225
(tax & gratuity included) Couples $120, Single $60
Guests may pay at the restaurant. Proceeds will benefit the new musical “Love Games” premiere & support Lyric Theatre@Illinois.
RSVPs are appreciated. Walk-ins will be accommodated- space permitting. Call Phyllis Cline (217)-344-4806, plcline@comcast.net
Donors may make a secure online tax deductible gift to the "Love Games" production, or contact David Allen, Tel. 217-333-6453 or Music-Development@illinois.edu.
" That's Amore " performance photos here
Central Illinois Business Radio "That's Amore" interview with host Alex Ruggieri February 6, 2014 - Used with permission by Alex Ruggieri,
CI Business Host Download the show here
This week Alex talks with Barbara Hedlund of "That’s Amore" (with Stephen Fiol & Rob Meister), and on the second show with Dr. Samuel Feinburg of NeoGraft.
Love Games Plot
Arthur Schnitzler's popular roundelay of love dealing with Viennese turn of the century sexual mores is told in ten interwoven scenes: two characters appear in each scene and one of these characters moves into the next scene.
The soldier of the first scene leaves a prostitute to appear in the next scene with a parlor maid. The maid then departs to be with her wealthy employer. He, in turn, receives his mistress, a certain married lady. The next scene reveals the married lady and her husband. Then the husband meets a sweet young girl at a private cafe. The girl and poet lover, the poet and the actress, the actress and count, and finally the count and prostitute bring the evening full circle. Or, as one audience member described it after opening night,"Ten seductions in two hours! That must be one for the Guinness Book of World Records."
April 29, 2014 Krannert Center opening night audience remarks
- inspired performances, great stage presence - was entranced by the beautiful and creative staging and choreography!
- The interweaving of the couples not only captured the audience, but so masterfully set the theme of the play. Bravo!'
- The screen and lighting behind the musicians was stunning, and set an elegant tone for the overall appearance of the stage; I'm so glad we came."
- Kudos to Steve Fiol for directing an excellent student performance of the musical "Love Games," by Joseph Turrin, based on Artur Schnitzler's "Reigen," at the Krannert Center, Urbana.
- Congrats to the singers-actors, and to choreographer Becky Nettl-Fiol. It was a huge job of directing, with a lot of complicated staging.
- "It was great and the translation was very accurate."
- "The music is wonderful and deserves the best possible support --dialogue, staging, action."
- "The piece was charming and reminded me a bit of A Little Night Music.
- Small operetta companies would love the show. It was perfect in that intimate setting! I saw improvement in every student's acting ability and comfort level on stage. Thank you for your guidance and hard work!!!"
"Love Games" second performance review by John Frayne - May 8, 2014 - News Gazette "Etc"
On April 30, I attended in the Colwell Playhouse the UI Opera Studio production of "Love Games," an adaptation of Artur Schnitzler's famous play "Reigen," ("Round Dances"), with music by Joseph Turrin and lyrics by Judy Spencer and Robert Morgan.
Schnitzler's controversial play was written in 1897, privately printed in 1900, but not staged until 1920. The play's episodic plot follows a group of characters in a chain of, by my count, five seduction scenes. A sixth scene shows, wonder of wonders, a married couple preparing for bed. Much of the performance time was given to spoken dialogue and almost all of the 10 characters also sang arias. Turrin's music strongly etched the differing character traits of the participants, but I would have asked for a more intense level of passionate utterance at the climax of the love scenes.
Stage director Stephen Fiol artfully managed the transition from scene to scene, with a new set of props moved onto the darkened stage as musical interludes were playing. Rebecca Nettl-Fiol designed inventive round dances to begin and end the performance.
At the climactic moments of the love scenes, a screen with a Gustav Klimt love scene on it was wheeled on stage to offer privacy. From where I was sitting, I could see what was happening behind the scenes, or should I say, not happening?
Schnitzler's cynicism about love and sex is famous. I was amused to hear this assortment of Viennese characters loudly proclaim their noble motives before getting on with the seductive business at hand. I must admit that after the fourth seduction I began to tire.
The charming musical accompaniments were played by Timothy Accurso pianist, who also acted as music director, by Claire Happel, harp, and Barbara Hedlund, cello.
The student actors/singers did a fine job in delivering a wide range of musical and dramatic characterizations. The Opera Studio directors are Dawn Harris and Ricardo Herrera.
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Cast of Characters
Prostitute, Soldier, Chamber Maid, Young Gentleman,
Young Wife, Husband, Sweet Young Girl,
Poet, Actress, Count
Love Games Score Ranges
download the attached PDF below
Score & Script available for perusal on request
"Love Games" preview sound files
Recorded Feb 10, 2013, Studio 505, Urbana, IL
Engineer - Jeff Zahos
mp3 - I Wait Alone (Bethany Stiles)
mp3 - Oh, Herr Alfred (Bethany Stiles & James Mayer)
mp3 - It's Most Difficult (James Mayer & Yvonne Redman)
mp3 - Time for Bed (Lullaby) (Jerold Siena)
mp3 - Love & Intoxication (Ronald Hedlund & Yvonne Redman)
Recording Trio: Kent Conrad, piano; Barbara Hedlund, Cello, Claire Happel, Harp
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"Theater of Love” Feb 14, 2013 Krannert Center
Love Games performance preview photos ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MUSICAL NUMBERS ACT I
No. 1 - PROLOGUE (Full Ensemble)
No. 1a - Black out music
No. 1b - Scene change music
No. 2 - HELPING YOUR FELLOW MAN (Soldier and Maid)
No. 2a - Black out music
No. 3 - I WAIT ALONE (Maid)
No. 3a - Scene change music
No. 4 - OH, HERR ALFRED (Young Gentleman)
No. 4a - Black out music
No. 5 - I WAIT ALONE Reprise (Maid)
No. 5a - Scene change & underscore music
No. 5b - Black out music
No. 6 – IT’S MOST DIFFICULT (Young Gentleman & Young Wife)
No. 6a - Black out music
No. 7 - A PERFECT LADY (Young Gentleman)
No. 7a - Scene change music
No. 8 - LOVE AND INTOXICATION (Husband & Young wife)
No. 9 - LOVE AND INTOXICATION Reprise (Husband & Young wife)
MUSICAL NUMBERS ACT II
No. 10 - INTRO (Full Ensemble)
No. 11 – WHIPPED CREAM SONG (Husband & Sweet Young Girl)
No. 12 - IT’S NOT ME ( Sweet Young Girl)
No. 13 – THE QUESTION (Sweet Young Girl & Husband)
No. 13a - Scene change music
No. 14 - TIME FOR BED (Poet)
No. 14a - Black out music
No. 15 – WE’LL JOIN THE NIGHT (Poet & Sweet Young Girl)
No. 15a - Scene change music
No. 16 - INFIDELITY (Actress)
No.16a - Black out music
No. 16b - Scene change music
No. 17 - SO LET’S CELEBRATE (Actress & Count)
No. 17a - Black out music
No. 17b - Scene change music
No. 18 - FINALE (Full Ensemble)