ϳԹ of Liberal Arts
Ring, Sing, Stir: UAF Opera Workshop’s Comic Pairing
Kat Reichert, CLA Public Information OfficeNovember 12, 2025cla-pio@alaska.edu
There’s only one chance to catch it: the UAF Opera Workshop presents a delightful double bill on Sunday, November 16 at 4 p.m. in the Davis Concert Hall. The evening features two one-act comic operas, Bon Appétit by Lee Hoiby and The Telephone by Gian Carlo Menotti, directed by Dr. Jaunelle Celaire and accompanied on piano by Joshua Vagran. Together, these short works promise a blend of humor, charm, and artistry.
In Bon Appétit, composer Lee Hoiby transforms an episode of The French Chef into a musical romp where Julia Child’s kitchen becomes a stage for both comedy and craft. Audiences can expect laughter, culinary chaos, and maybe a few unexpected spills as the larger-than-life chef bakes a chocolate cake, musically.
ѱԴdzٳپ’s The Telephone turns the humor toward love and miscommunication. Ben has come to visit Lucy before leaving on a trip, hoping to propose. But every time he tries to speak, her telephone rings again and again. Between her endless conversations, Ben even considers cutting the phone cord. In a final act of ingenuity (and irony), he proposes by calling her from a payphone, leading to a tender, comedic duet that seals their romance across the line.
As Dr. Celaire describes, “These short one-act operas are just enough to spark one’s interest in classical music. Be prepared to laugh as these comic operas are lighthearted and quaint.”
Opera Workshop is more than a class; it’s an experience that blends theater, language, and music into one expressive art form. “Opera combines music, theater, visual art, and storytelling, keeping centuries of artistic traditions alive,” Celaire explains. “It exposes audiences to powerful emotional experiences and artistic excellence.”
The course, officially MUS 313 – Opera Workshop, is typically audition-only and open to students majoring in Music Education or Music Performance, though this year’s group broadens that scope. The cast features a mix of majors, a music minor, and even an alumna, reflecting the department’s collaborative spirit.
This immersive approach extends far beyond campus. Last spring, Opera Workshop students traveled to Costa Rica to perform Bastien und Bastienne, building international connections through performance and cultural exchange. That inspiration carries forward into a full academic year of opera at UAF. “I guess you can say we were very inspired by our trip to Costa Rica,” Celaire says.
Celaire emphasizes that the workshop also plays a role in the local arts ecosystem. “Opera Fairbanks was the local opera company a few years ago,” she notes. “Although the company is no longer active, we are trying to rebirth the art form and culture by using our own undergraduates here on campus to help educate the community about this genre of music. We also want to remind everybody that opera still exists in Fairbanks.”
Each performer brings a distinctive background and artistic journey to this ensemble:
Ellie “Paukana” Maglaya
“I have very much enjoyed getting back into the opera setting with Bon Appétit. The opera itself is so silly, but also very challenging at the same time, with all the moving parts. With Opera Workshop only having four performers in it this semester, I feel that I have had a lot of one-on-one time with the director, Dr. Celaire, and that is exactly what I need for an opera that is this complex. I can’t wait for everyone to see both The Telephone and Bon Appétit!”
Clark Milstead
“What I’ve most enjoyed about doing Opera Workshop is the freedom of the rehearsal process. Having a busy schedule this semester meant I needed to do rehearsals on different days based on my availability from week to week. I was happy to be able to just go to a music rehearsal with everyone well-prepared and ready to sing.”
Elly Ditmore
“I’ve enjoyed getting back into opera after more than a year away! I love the process of score study, staging, costuming, the collaboration, all of it; and being in Fairbanks, where everything is so small, makes it so much more collaborative because it’s just the four of us putting The Telephone ٴDzٳ!”
Opera Workshop isn’t slowing down after this performance. In spring, a new cast of singers will return to the Davis Concert Hall with Mozart’s The Impresario continuing the program’s mission to make opera accessible, relevant, and alive in Fairbanks.
For Celaire, these productions represent more than class projects. They’re part of a growing movement to nurture artistry, build community, and ensure that opera remains a living tradition at UAF. Each performance, whether on campus, abroad, or in collaboration, adds another voice to that ongoing story.
As the curtain rises on The Telephone and Bon Appétit, the laughter, music, and shared energy remind audiences why opera endures: it’s art that connects people, stirs imagination, and celebrates life in full voice.
Tickets for the November 16 performance at 4 p.m. in the Davis Concert Hall are $10 for general admission, $5 for non-UAF students, seniors, and military, and free for children 12 and under. UAF students receive one free ticket as part of their Arctic Art Pass. Tickets are available online through the .
From the concert hall to classrooms across Alaska, your support ensures that UAF music students continue to learn, perform, and grow. Join us in sustaining a vibrant culture of music education and performance.
