Abduction from the Seraglio

Trekkie or opera officiando — nerds of all varieties are sure to love this wacky production. No substantial knowledge of either genre is needed to enjoy this show, but those who share a passion for the endearing series or a love for the enduring art form will be doubly thrilled. Sung in English, with a lively score, plenty of vocal fireworks, and tongue in cheek comedy that anyone can appreciate, this is a perfect opera for first timers. The opera will run just over two hours with an intermission.

Cast

Captain James T. Belmonte	James Harr
Mister Pedrillo	Christopher Plaas
Blondie	Maxwell Porterfield
Constanze	Sharon Cheng
Lieutenant Osmin	Jonathan Ten Brink
Commander Selim	Jeremy Wilkins

Cover Cast

Captain James T. Belmonte	James Frost
Blondie	Marianna Allen
Constanze	Megan Brunning

Creative Team

Conductor	Lok Kim
Director & Set Designer	Josh Shaw
Producer	Laura Sage
Costume Designer	Maggie Green
Rehearsal Pianist	Alex Mejia

ACT I

Space, the final frontier. Stardate 14-20-27. Planet Anigav. The Klingon leader, Chancellor Selim, has captured and enslaved three Star Fleet personnel – Ltn. Constanze, Blonde, and Pedrillo. Captain Belmonte beams down to Anigav where Constanze has become the pasha’s favorite and Pedrillo his scientific advisor. Blonde has been given as a gift by the Chancellor to the head of his guard, Osmin. Belmonte’s first encounter is with Osmin, who acts polite until Belmonte mentions Pedrillo, his rival for Blonde. He drives Belmonte away and then rails at Pedrillo, who has come in hopes of making peace with him. Belmonte returns to find his friend, who tells him the Chancellor loves Constanze but will not force himself on her. Pedrillo will try to arrange a meeting between Constanze and Belmonte and an escape with Blonde, if they can get past Osmin. In hiding, Belmonte yearns for Constanze, who soon appears with Chancellor Selim. When Selim asks her why she is always depressed by his courtship of her, Constanze replies she cannot forget her love from whom she was separated. After she leaves, Pedrillo introduces Belmonte to the pasha as a promising mechanic who has a plan to restore power to the Klingon Birds of Prey. Osmin bars the way when Belmonte and Pedrillo try to enter the vessel, but he is confused easily.

Blonde confounds Osmin with her cleverness and faces him down when he threatens her. The Chancellor again confronts Constanza and asks if she is ready to accept him. She proudly refuses, preferring torture, even death.

ACT II

Blonde and Pedrillo meet and discuss their plan of escape: they will get Osmin drunk, and all four lovers will meet outside of the beaming shield and be transported up to the ship. Later, Pedrillo tricks Osmin into drinking Romulan Ale that has been drugged.

Blondie, Constanza, Pedrillo, and Belmonte meet for the planned abduction, but there is a problem with the transponders. Osmin, who is not too hung over to realize what is going on, captures the group and brings them before the Chancellor, who is furious. Belmonte suggests the Chancellor kill him and let the others go. At this, Selim realizes that Belmonte is the son of an old enemy, the man who took everything from him — his planet, his army, and even his wife. In a surprising twist, Chancellor Selim decides that rather than take blood for blood he will repay evil with good, freeing Constanze and Belmonte, even Blonde and Pedrillo. This does not sit well with Osmin. The grateful lovers praise their benefactor as they prepare to beam up.

This unique production was premiered at the Southern Illinois Music Festival in 2014 and was such a hit that Director Josh Shaw decided to produce it in Los Angeles with his own company, Pacific Opera Project. That run was met with enthusiastic praise from reviewers all around, and each performance was sold out!

Read some of the reviews here:

• LA Times – Letter to the Editor
• Huffington Post
• Broadway World
• Living Out Loud
• LA Splash
• Pasadena Independent
• Singerpreneur
• The Geek Authority
• Stage Happenings

Scenic City Opera is proud to bring this fun and innovative production to Chattanooga.