This past week, the Dog wandered down to the Drake Theatre arts hall to see the Drake Opera Theatre perform “The Magic Flute.” Stepping into the theatre, I see it’s almost entirely packed. As the opening speaker leaves the stage, I take my seat in the middle of row D. Not a moment later, the pit orchestra starts to play, filling the Theatre with the sounds of a classically trained orchestra. As the curtains are pulled, a projector screen displaying the words “The Magic Flute” appears atop the stage.
After the introductory score settles, the curtain is drawn and a man enters from stage right clad in black pants and a dress shirt. A red vest and matching tie are tucked between the two layers, and the entire costume is accented by the stark white gloves adorning his hands. He’s followed by a woman in a bright pink flapper dress with a white boa hung from her neck. They start to sing.
Opera is interesting to see performed, especially when the entire score is sung in a different language. For the uninitiated such as myself, feeling more at home in a local punk venue than a theatre, it’s jarring to hear performers singing German lyrics in the classic bellowing performance tones that opera is known for. Fortunately a projector provides English captions.
Amidst the first on-stage performance, three women enter from stage left and join the song. The woman from the previous scene leaves the stage, and the man collapses. The three women sing around his collapsed body off to stage left. As they finish their song, the man pops up, now speaking in English exclaiming that he’s not dead.
The storyline of “The Magic Flute” is one worthy of love and — without spoiling too much — involves a series of 3 trials of our prince who had just collapsed to prove he’s worthy of the Queen of the Night’s daughter’s hand.
Throughout the performance, we follow mainly Prince Tamino and the bird catcher Papageno through trials. As they embark on a journey, both receive a gift of a magic item to help aid them. Tamino receives the aforementioned magic flute the opera is named after, and Papageno receives a set of magic bells.
Opera can be chilling at times, with the performers on stage pushing their vocal cords past what I could have previously thought possible. The performance of the queen of the night’s solo comes to the front of my mind, as she hit a rich and high tone that most people could only dream of being able to reach.
The performance demonstrates an almost universal lesson about commitment and love, and it’s left to the viewer to take that lesson with them as they leave the theatre.
Now without further ado, onto the Brief.
Drake OUTLaws Open Mic Fundraiser
On Tuesday, Feb. 25, Drake OUTLaws is holding their open mic fundraiser at xBk Live. The event will raise funds for Drake’s free LGBTQ+ legal clinic. The doors for the event will open at 6:30 p.m. and acts will start performing at 7 p.m. There’s no cost to attend the event, but they will be accepting cash, check and Venmo donations. For more information on how to donate, visit here.
Stories of Healing: Poetry/Writing Workshop
On Wednesday, Feb. 26 at 5 p.m., Broadlawns Student Counseling Center and NAMI on campus will host a writer’s workshop centered around sharing stories of healing in Olmsted Center’s Parents Hall. All forms of poetry, storytelling and writing are invited. Register here.
Get LinkedIn with Drake Alumni: A Networking Breakfast
On Friday, Feb. 28, the Office of Alumni Relations and Drake University Career Services will host a networking breakfast for students and alumni from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m in Olmsted Center’s Parents Hall. The event includes a keynote speech from Shekinah Fountain, a senior DEI Associate at the Weitz Company. The keynote will focus on using LinkedIn as both a professional networking and career development tool. RSVP by emailing [email protected].
Comedy XPeriment
After a long morning of networking, sometimes you need a laugh. Luckily, we have you covered. On Friday, Feb. 28 at 7:30 p.m., Tallgrass Theatre is hosting Des Moines’s longest running improv troupe, Comedy XPeriment. The event will be filled with sketches, one liners, full-length plays and musical numbers. The cost of the event will be $14.
Flea Market
On Saturday, Mar. 1, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday, Mar. 2, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., the flea market will be open at the Iowa State Fairground. If you’re interested in finding some hidden treasure this weekend, this is the event for you.
