The Village Singer
The Village Singer was the ideal first opera for RDO to present. With music by Minnesota composer Stephen Paulus and libretto by his longtime collaborator Michael Dennis Browne, the opera told the story of a longtime soprano soloist for a church choir who is deemed by the choirmaster to be "too old" to carry on her duties. But she has her own opinion on this assessment!
Anyone who's been in a church choir knows someone like Candace, the stalwart soprano who has been the heart of the choir for as long as anyone remembers
With her high notes sometimes cracking, Candace's self-esteem suffers a few cracks, too, when the choir director suggests perhaps she make way for a younger soprano
Candace manages to get a parting shot in about the indignity of being replaced
Anyone who's been in a church choir knows someone like Candace, the stalwart soprano who has been the heart of the choir for as long as anyone remembers