by Mike Telin

German-American composer Kurt Weill had one foot in opera and the other on Broadway when he wrote Street Scene in 1946 with lyrics by Langston Hughes and book by Elmer Rice, based on Rice’s play of the same name. Oberlin Opera Theater director Jonathon Field chose what Weill alternately called his “Broadway Opera” or his “American Opera” for their fall production.

Street Scene will open in Hall Auditorium on the Oberlin campus on Wednesday, November 5 with subsequent performances on Friday and Saturday evenings and Sunday afternoon. Unlike other Oberlin opera productions, the same cast will appear in all four shows.

The production of Street Scene has inspired several add-on events. A 1931 film of Elmer Rice’s play was shown last week at the Apollo Theatre, and lectures by Bruce D. McClung and Kim Kowalke and a Weill-Style Cabaret are also part of the schedule (see the Concert Listings for details.) [Read more…]