Music Foundation of Spartanburg, Converse College present La Boheme

SPARTANBURG – The Music Foundation of Spartanburg in conjunction with Converse College Opera Theatre will present Puccini’s opera, La Boheme, on Friday, Jan. 28, at 7:30 and Sunday, Jan. 30, at 2:30 in Twichell Auditorium on the Converse College campus.

The concert is made possible with generous support from Wachovia Bank and John and Ysal Dulken.

This Italian opera is abundant in gorgeous melodies which will be played by the Greater Spartanburg Philharmonic. The story is a simple one of “vie de boheme,” the bohemian life; of love amidst devastating poverty; of friendship and loss. Producing and directing is Ronald Boudreaux. Keith Jones is conducting and sets were designed by Peter Dean Beck and constructed by Opera Carolina Scene Shop. The lead characters, Mimi and Rodolfo, will be played by Converse students Tharanga Goonetilleke and James Broussard. Broussard is pursuing a Master of Music degree in vocal performance.

Miss Goonetilleke is a native of Sri Lanka, one of the countries hit hard by the recent devastating tsunami. She and her sister, Eranga, who is singing in La Boheme ’s chorus, are accepting donations for disaster relief. These funds will be forwarded to their home church in Sri Lanka. Anyone interested in donating may do so in Twichell Auditorium’s lobby during the production.

Dr. David Berry will be offering “Curtain Talk,” an informal discussion about this opera, before each performance. An educational opportunity not to be missed, these talks will be held free of cost to ticket holders Friday, Jan. 28, at 6:45 p.m. and Sunday, Jan. 30, at 1:45 p.m.

To purchase tickets to the concert, call 864-948-9020 or 864-596-9725. Ticket prices are $25 for adults, $22.50 for seniors and $15 for students. Group discounts are available.

The performance is made possible by BellSouth through its support of The Arts Partnership Annual Campaign. The Music Foundation of Spartanburg is funded in part by The Arts Partnership of Greater Spartanburg and its donors, the County and City of Spartanburg, and the South Carolina Arts Commission, which receives funding from the National Endowment for the Arts.