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 UMHB 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 UMHB 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. UMHB students, faculty, and staff members can receive a free ticket with their UMHB 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.
