Director's Notes
by Chas Rader-Shieber, stage director for The Love for Three Oranges
It’s almost impossible to take program notes for this wonderful opera too seriously. Explaining this piece is like explaining quantum physics—except at the end of explaining quantum physics, it makes sense to at least a few brainy people. So think of this as more of an invitation to sit back and watch the show.
Part adventure story, part buddy-comedy and part magical nightmare, Prokofiev’s The Love For Three Oranges is the tale of a Prince recovering from an illness while remaining “love-sick” for the most unusual of prizes. With the aid of his trusted and world-weary court jester Trouffaldino, he fights through a universe of vaudeville sketches, circus acts, showgirls and second-rate magicians to find his true love: who is either a piece of fruit, a giant rat or a glamorous beauty—who knows? Navigating love in a chaotic and often illogical world is daunting at best.
When Shakespeare wrote, “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players,” he had no idea what that sentiment might inspire years later. This production presents each scene as a kind of performance—a new and different “act.” The characters participate in, perform for and witness a dazzling array of life’s showier moments, all in a valiant attempt to find that elusive thing called love.
It’s the simplest of stories, played out in the most absurd, unexpected and ultimately satisfying way. Join the journey with no expectations other than to enjoy the crazy ride!
Learn more about The Love for Three Oranges >