PHONY
Chamber Opera in One Act by David Matthew Brown
Hub City Opera Presents the NJ Debut of a new work created
by composer David Matthew Brown and librettist Alize Rozsnyai
Synopsis: The premise of Phony is that a couple, having just sat down to dinner for a date at a fancy restaurant, are communicating exclusively by text messages rather than having a face-to-face conversation. They sing aloud the text message just received by the opposite party, and in this satirical manner, flip gender norms and expectations giving the audience a very interesting magnification of these differences. They have been dating for several months, having met on social media, but discover they hardly know each other because they are always on their phones. They reminisce about things they used to enjoy such as reading books or playing chess, and bemoan that they feel they never have time anymore. Ultimately, their discovery leads them both to an unexpected conclusion. A moment of comic relief comes when the waiter sings a passionate aria about tofu.
COFFEE CANTATA
Schweigt stille, plaudert nicht BWV 211
by Johann Sebastian Bach
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Hub City Opera is bringing a new perspective to J.S. Bach's The Coffee Cantata, which was written somewhere between 1732 and 1735 and is essentially a miniature comic opera that tells the story of a disgruntled father, Schlendrian, who argues with his caffeine-obsessed daughter, Lieschen, about what he perceives to be her bad habit of indulging in too much coffee.
In a new English Adaptation by Alize Francheska Rozsynai, Hub City Opera will present The Coffee Cantata through the eyes of a twenty-first century lens. Here is the synopsis: Lisa and Sam are a yoga-loving, starbucks-drinking, city-living couple who have suddenly become more conscious of their spending habits, as well as the impact that paper cup waste has on the environment. Sam urges Lisa to give up buying coffee out, but she defends her habit as her quintessential right, and actual necessity. When their relationship is placed on the chopping block, will Lisa ultimately choose her love for Sam, or her love for coffee?
Our double bill will take place at the
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Avenel Performing Arts Center
150 Avenel Street
Avenel, NJ 07001
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April 29, 2023 at 7:30 pm
April 30, 2023 at 3:00 pm
Please help funding this show.
We need your help! THANK YOU!
TICKETS
Purchase your tickets with eventbrite ($29 plus fee)
Just click here.
or at the door (cash or check only) for $35.
Grant funding has been provided by the Middlesex County Board for Chosen Freeholders through a grant award from the Middlesex County Cultural and Arts Trust Fund.
Program funded by Middlesex County, a partner of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts.
HUB CITY OPERA AND DANCE COMPANY connects the community with important old and new works that educate and entertain, bringing together amateur and professional singers, musicians, dance and visual artists to create performance art unheard and unseen before.
Education
We strive to provide children at the elementary through high school level with opportunities to discover and nurture a love of the arts. We are actively looking to expand our network of partner schools.
Entertainment
We search for the hidden gems of opera and make them accessible to modern audiences. Our emphasis on little-known works set our productions apart.
Enrichment
We partner with local community leaders to spread the joy of opera and dance to a wider audience and create a space for local performers to express themselves through art.
We Need Your Support
Not only your financial support. If you are interested in learning more about our project and how you can participate, please contact us.
