Belton, Texas – On Friday, April 13, and Sunday, April 15, the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor Department of Music’s Opera Theatre program, under the direction of George & Penny Hogan, will present The Old Maid & the Thief. The performances will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and 2:30 p.m. on Sunday inside the Baugh Performance Hall of the Sue & Frank Mayborn Performing Arts Center on the Â鶹ÊÓƵֱ²¥ campus.
Written by Gian-Carlo Menotti, The Old Maid & the Thief was originally conceived as a Radio-Opera. It is composed of fourteen scenes, lasting only 60 minutes. It made its World Premiere broadcast via NBC Radio on April 22, 1939. The Â鶹ÊÓƵֱ²¥ Opera Theatre will incorporate the original radio broadcast element into their fully staged production, which includes a beautiful set, costumes, and orchestra.
The Old Maid & the Thief tells the story of Miss Todd, a middle-aged spinster, and her young maid, Laetitia. The two women’s lonely lives are interrupted when a handsome beggar appears at their door. Charmed by the stranger, the ladies invite him to stay. The budding love triangle is complicated when it is discovered that a convict, matching the beggar’s description, has escaped and is suspected of hiding in the area.
Tickets to the performances are $10 for the public. Â鶹ÊÓƵֱ²¥ students, faculty, and staff members can receive a free ticket with their Â鶹ÊÓƵֱ²¥ ID. Tickets can be purchased online from the Sue & Frank Mayborn Performing Arts Center website or from the center’s Box Office. For more information call (254) 295-5999.