 "Photo: DTH/Timothy Reese")
Think the absence of many UNC students during the summertime empties Chapel Hill of notable arts events?
The organizers of the Long Leaf Opera Festival, the first of its kind in the nation dedicated to opera written and performed in English, would beg to differ.
The festival will be held at UNC's Memorial Hall and other area locations from June 15 to July 1.
"During the summer, people think of Chapel Hill as a sleepy little town," said Randolph Umberger, artistic director for Long Leaf Opera.
"But there's great potential for an arts festival because the arts are so abundant here."
The Chapel Hill-based group will offer master classes, chamber music concerts and several world premiere performances. Many of these events feature nationally recognized names in opera today.
"This festival has been our goal for eight years," Umberger said.
"We wanted for American opera composers to be recognized and for everyone to see the beauty of these pieces."
"Strange Fruit," a world-premiere opera led by North Carolina composer, Chandler Carter, opens the festival Friday.
"The line between something like Andrew Lloyd Webber and American opera is very fine," Umberger said.
"'Strange Fruit,' which is an American opera, is full of jazz, blues and Southern revival music."
The piece tells the story of an interracial relationship taking place in the American South during the 1920s.
"We wanted to bring a piece that would positively influence the community," Umberger said.
"We weren't just looking to tell a story."
Erina Newkirk, a soprano who plays the lead female character in "Strange Fruit" is no stranger to new works, but said there was something special about her character in this production.
"I am able to relate to this character more than any other character I've ever played," Newkirk said.
Dedicated to a culturally diverse company of artists, Long Leaf has assembled an equally diverse repertoire of programming ranging from the themes explored in "Strange Fruit" to "Nora the Nonapus," a world-premiere opera for children about an oddball octopus.
"We are trying to make this family-friendly and create an environment that will embrace the community," Umberger said.
For a national first, one might think Chapel Hill is an odd location to debut an entire opera festival.
But Umberger said it doesn't take much for anyone, anywhere to become interested in English opera.
"The spectacle and heroes and stories of opera are even more attractive when you present them in English," he said.
"You break a barrier for people and allow them to be attracted to these works easily when it's in their own language."
And with many pieces and performers in the festival coming from North Carolina or the South, the festival will hit even closer to home.
"It's wonderful to see how, although there are so many different productions going on, everyone is coming together for the same purpose," Newkirk said.
Contact the A&E Editor at artsdesk@unc.edu.
IF?YOU?GO Time: June 15 - July 1, various times Location: Memorial Hall, Paul Green Theater, other area locations. Info: www.longleafopera.org
