Play
Romance prance in Baghdad
Engel Schmidl
25Jun08
Gerard Schneider and Laura Slavin bring an operatic presence to their roles in Kismet. Picture: LAWRENCE PINDERN52DV400
WITH its troubled recent past, Baghdad is probably not the first place you'd set a romantic musical theatre show.
But the Diamond Valley Singers hope to evoke exotic Baghdad from days of old with their coming show, Kismet, set in the time of the Arabian Nights tales.
Based on Russian composer Alexander Borodin's classical score, Kismet is the tale of a young man who rebels against his society and falls in love with just one woman rather than having multiple wives.
Plot twists and demanding vocal turns keep the performers, including leads Gerard Schneider and Laura Slavin, on their toes.
"It's quite a deep role for a musical and vocally demanding," Schneider said.
Swiss-born Schneider, who is also training for opera roles, said the play was challenging.
"There are so many sides to my character, the Caliph," he said.
"Kismet is a very classical piece, which is what I'm interested in doing."
The music was a major attraction for Slavin, who plays Caliph's love interest, Marsinah.
"It is a very expressive, beautiful play and you need to work hard to have the character's complexity come out in your voice," Slavin, a Melbourne Opera Company regular, said.
Diamond Valley Singers will donate the proceeds from the performances to World Vision and Open House.
Kismet opens Friday, July 4, at Warrandyte High School Theatre, Alexander Rd, Warrandyte.
Bookings: 9444 0537 or email dvsbookings@hotmail .com, or go to www.dvsingers.org.
