Lone Star Academy Online:
Anam the Witch & Beatrice the Beautiful Synopsis
Written by Mary Alice Rich
Beatrice and her brother Beto are teenaged orphans struggling to survive in their forest hut. Beto goes off to find work while Beatrice unsuccessfully tries to make tortillas for their supper. She sings of the loss of her parents and how her mama' always made delicious tortillas.
The woman next door, Anam, hears Beatrice and feels for her, remembering her own loss of her baby boy, so Anam makes some fresh tortillas for the orphans. Unfortunately, Beatrice has heard rumors that Anam is a witch, so she runs away. Anam sadly leaves the tortillas on the doorstep.
When Beto comes home, Beatrice sees the tortillas and tells Beto that she herself has made the tortillas. Anam hears this lie and, in a fit of hurt and anger, casts a spell on the tortillas just as Beto takes a bite. Suddenly he turns into an ox!
Beatrice tries to comfort him as King Renaldo passes by. Renaldo takes one look at beautiful Beatrice and asks her to marry him. She tells him yes but only if Beto can go too as her brother.
The king agrees, they marry happily, and 2 years later have a son Timoteo. It is at this point that Anam comes forward to ask forgiveness and to make amends by turning Beto back into a human.
Queen Beatrice also confesses that she had done bad things: she had lied and, even worse, she had scorned and left Anam all alone in the forest. Her amends is to invite Anam to join their family and to become abuella/grandmother to the prince. The king agrees and all rejoice!
Beatrice and her brother Beto are teenaged orphans struggling to survive in their forest hut. Beto goes off to find work while Beatrice unsuccessfully tries to make tortillas for their supper. She sings of the loss of her parents and how her mama' always made delicious tortillas.
The woman next door, Anam, hears Beatrice and feels for her, remembering her own loss of her baby boy, so Anam makes some fresh tortillas for the orphans. Unfortunately, Beatrice has heard rumors that Anam is a witch, so she runs away. Anam sadly leaves the tortillas on the doorstep.
When Beto comes home, Beatrice sees the tortillas and tells Beto that she herself has made the tortillas. Anam hears this lie and, in a fit of hurt and anger, casts a spell on the tortillas just as Beto takes a bite. Suddenly he turns into an ox!
Beatrice tries to comfort him as King Renaldo passes by. Renaldo takes one look at beautiful Beatrice and asks her to marry him. She tells him yes but only if Beto can go too as her brother.
The king agrees, they marry happily, and 2 years later have a son Timoteo. It is at this point that Anam comes forward to ask forgiveness and to make amends by turning Beto back into a human.
Queen Beatrice also confesses that she had done bad things: she had lied and, even worse, she had scorned and left Anam all alone in the forest. Her amends is to invite Anam to join their family and to become abuella/grandmother to the prince. The king agrees and all rejoice!
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School Performance Sponsored by Mu Phi Epsilon
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La Bruja Anam y la Bella Beatrice
(Anam the Witch and Beatrice the Beautiful)
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Mary Alice Rich: Composer of Anam the Witch and Beatrice the Beautiful
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Claudia Navarro Jameson: Librettist of Anam the Witch and Beatrice the Beautiful
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For Anam the Witch and Beatrice the Beautiful bookings email:
info@diversitaopera.org
info@diversitaopera.org
Mu Phi Epsilon: Dallas Alumni
Diversitá Opera Arts Company
Opera Unhinged:
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Diversitá Opera Arts Company
Opera Unhinged:
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Upcoming Apprentice Show: The Magic Flute
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Diversità Opera Arts Company is an official 501(c)(3) non-profit organization providing music scholarships to deserving students in the area along with performance opportunities. We promote music education and enjoyment to populations that cater to special needs, foster care, and senior living. We also provide a diverse cast of performers through opera/classical music on stage along with artistic shows throughout the United States. Our directors and board members are dedicated musicians, educators, and nonprofit mentors who support the endeavors of positive change.
Educator Bios
Marietta native and founding member of the Georgia Spiritual Ensemble Timothy Harper made his opera debut as Thomas in the world premiere performance of Zabette. He performed the role of Don Jose in Bizet's Carmen with Peach State Opera. Other roles consist of; Don Ottavio in Mozart's Don Giovanni, Spoletta, in Puccini's Tosca, Cavaradossi cover, in Tosca, Don Jose in Bizet's Carmen in Rome Italy, Second Man in Armor in Mozart's The Magic Flute, and Judge Danforth in Miller's The Crucible. He holds degrees from Kennesaw State University (Bachelors of Music in Opera Performance) and Georgia State University (Masters of Music in Opera Performance) and is currently is on the voice faculty at the University of North Georgia. He has won numerous honors throughout the state and South Eastern region. Mr. Harper has been featured as a soloist with the Ludwig Symphony Orchestra as well as the Georgia Symphony Orchestra. Other featured works include; Handel's Messiah, Bach's Magnificat, Saint Saëns Christmas Oratorio, Shubbert's Mass in G, Mozart's Coronation Mass, and Requiem to name a few. Mass, and Requiem to name a few.
Soprano Christina Dragoo has an extensive performance resume, singing at a wide variety of venues, including, the Florence International Music Festival, Los Angeles Fashion Week, the Renaissance Fair, the Viper Room, and many opera companies including Diversita Opera. Her most frequently performed roles include Gretel from Hansel and Gretel, and Donna Anna from Don Giovanni. In Mozart's the Magic Flute, she has performed as Pamina, Papagena, and the Queen of the Night. She also appeared in many world premieres of operas by Jonathan Price.
Ms Dragoo also has over 20 years of experience as a voice teacher with students performing at Disney Hall, the Winspear, and Angel Stadium. They have appeared in numerous operas, musical theatre productions and TV shows including, Blackish, Once Upon a Time, and the new Wonder Years. Her student Lorena Tassinari's album, Lulebu, features duets with Placido Domingo Jr. Christina has served as the children's chorus master for the California Philharmonic, Opera Pasadena, and Repertory Opera Company. She has music directed several shows including Little Women, Descendants the Musical, Shrek Jr, and Annie Jr. Christina currently runs a private studio in McKinney, Texas and is a member of the NATS, a professional organization for vocal education.
Pianist Portia Shuler Hawkins holds degrees from Fisk University and Yale University School of Music. Her private piano teachers include Geneva Handy Southall, Matthew and Anne Kennedy, Ward Davenny, Francis Whang, and George Walker. Mrs. Hawkins has taught at Georgia Perimeter University, Spelman College, Clark Atlanta University, and Agnes Scott College. Her CD, “African American Sampler”, is heard on WABEFM radio, Atlanta, and several public radio stations throughout the country. Several years ago, she edited a piano collection of works by William Grant Still at the request of his daughter, Judith Still. Presently, Portia performs collaborative concerts throughout the region, teaches privately in her Roswell studio, and frequently serves as a vocal and instrumental accompanist. Also, she served as principal organist at First Church of Christ Scientist until 2017. Mrs. Hawkins is an adjudicator and is an active member of the Georgia Music Teachers Association, The National Federation of Music Clubs, and Mu Phi Epsilon International Professional Fraternity. She has served as a member of the Executive Board of Georgia Music Teachers Association.
In 2019, Mrs. Hawkins received a grant from the Georgia Music Teachers Association to enable her to continue promoting the piano music of classically Trained African-American Composers. In 2020, she was recognized as Teacher of the Year by the North Fulton Music Teacher's Chapter of GMTA.
Nancy Bartke hales from San Diego, California, and studied vocal performance at Indiana University, the University of North Texas, and the “Mozarteum” (Salzburg, Austria). She performs in musicals and theater around the Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex, as well as teaches voice at Tarrant County College Southeast.
Favorite roles include Flora/Alexandra/Victims in No Way to Treat a Lady and Lily Garland in On the Twentieth Century. Nancy and husband Thomas met performing dinner theater in Austria; they have seven children. Nancy plays tuba in The Coulson Family Jazz Band.