Composed by 麻豆原创鈥檚 Stella Sung, the opera will debut next week at the University of Florida in Gainesville. Sung, director of 麻豆原创鈥檚 Center for Research and Education in Arts, Technology and Entertainment, has written about 100 compositions, but this is her first opera 鈥� and she says it won鈥檛 be her last.

鈥淚n doing the research, I discovered that I could develop a story 鈥� based in historical fact or at least what we know of Marco Polo and Kublai Khan 鈥� that would make a good opera plot,鈥� she said. 鈥淒ashing world traveler plus a young and beautiful princess gives us the love element, but the thrust of the story has two central themes: one of fate and one of transformation, and this is really where the depth of the story is found.鈥�

The tale follows the Italian merchant on his travels to China, where he meets the Mongolian emperor and his daughter. The project took about nine months to complete with librettist Ernest Hilbert.

The story came about because Sung said she wanted to expound on the Chinese proverb that says 鈥減eople who are meant to be together will also be connected by an invisible 鈥榯hread鈥� 鈥� a feeling of being connected to those whom we are fated to meet.鈥�

The story line also interested her because her parents are from China. They met at UF and still live in Gainesville.

Sung joined 麻豆原创 in 1987 as a visiting instructor in the Music Department. She soon became a full-time professor, teaching music theory, composition, piano, singing and other courses. In 2006, she became a professor of digital media in the , and in 2007 was named to her current post, where she develops multidisciplinary research-driven initiatives.

Drawing from that multidisciplinary background, she used digital technology to create a virtual set with projections.

鈥淥ur set has been designed by a local group from Ninjaneer Studios, a small group of former 麻豆原创 students who graduated from our character-animation program 鈥� Joe Rosa, Heather Knott and Chris Brown,鈥� Sung said. 鈥淭hey have worked very diligently to produce some spectacular virtual sets with slight animations, so that the set will feel like a 鈥榣iving鈥� set. The ship scene will have some shimmering water, billowing sails, etcetera. I am incredibly excited to see these projected!鈥�

An ensemble cast of performers from the UF Opera Theatre, directed by Beth Greenberg, will be joined by the UF Symphony Orchestra led by Raymond Chobaz. From 麻豆原创, Thomas Potter, an associate professor of voice in the Music Department, will play a lead role of Kublai Khan.

Performances for The Red Silk Thread, which will be sung in English, will be 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 17,聽and Saturday, April 19, at Phillips Center on the UF campus.

Tickets range from $25 to $40 and can be purchased from the box office at 352-392-2787.

With a cast of about 75 students, free performances of The Merry Wives of Windsor are part of 麻豆原创 Opera鈥檚 mission to make opera accessible and relevant to all audiences.

Two performances will be presented March 16 at 7 p.m. and March 18 at 3 p.m. in the Pegasus Ballroom of the Student Union, which will be turned into an Elizabethan-era village.

鈥淭his presents a great opportunity to reach out to non-opera goers in our community,鈥� said Thomas Potter, associate professor of music and executive director of 麻豆原创 Opera. 鈥淪ince the opera is to be sung in English and is a light comedy, our key word for the production is 鈥榝un,鈥欌��

麻豆原创聽Opera performs most of its opera productions in English to help eliminate one of the perceived barriers that people may have聽鈥撀爐hat they won’t understand what’s going on if it is presented in a foreign language, Potter said.

The Otto Nicolai opera, which was originally performed in German in 1849, is based on the 1602 play of the same name by William Shakespeare.

But the production still contains lessons that can be learned today, as lead character Falstaff tries 鈥� but fails 鈥� to finagle his way into money.

In the seven years since Potter joined 麻豆原创 to develop its opera program, 麻豆原创 Opera has presented small concerts and some outreach programs to public schools, including one full production at a high school.

The Merry Wives of Windsor is the second collaboration with the 麻豆原创 Chamber Orchestra, under the direction of Laszlo Marosi. The singers are students in the Opera Workshop class and will also include some members of 麻豆原创鈥檚 Chamber Singers.

The Florida Opera Theatre in Orlando is helping out with some of the sets.

Presenting the opera in the Pegasus Ballroom will create some logistical demands, said stage director Allen McCoy of the 麻豆原创 Theatre faculty.

鈥淚t鈥檚 always a challenge getting something on its feet, and converting the Pegasus Ballroom into a theatrical space 鈥� as far as the sight and sound and look 鈥� presents some more challenges,鈥� McCoy said.

One of those challenges is movement on the big stage.

鈥淚t may be clear how a performer uses his voice, but they also communicate with their bodies by the way they walk and move,鈥� he said. 鈥淧eople look at those things separately, but for a performer it is all one thing.鈥�

Potter said this performance is the most significant step he has taken in developing the university鈥檚 opera program.

鈥淚t’s a big undertaking for us, and聽a great experience for all those students to be a part of a big production,鈥� he said.

The event supports scholarships for current and future 麻豆原创 Opera students. The public is invited to attend a free master class at 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 18, in the Hagerty High School Auditorium, 3225 Lockwood Blvd. in Oviedo.

Zajick has appeared on stages around the world, in locations such as Chicago, San Francisco, Vienna and Berlin. Her rare voice type and success in difficult roles have earned her recognition as a singer in a class of her own by prestigious publications such as Opera News and The New York Times.

At the master class, Zajick will teach five 麻豆原创 students in front of a live audience, guiding them through their singing and interpretations of classical music. The opportunity gives students a chance to gain insight and understanding of their operatic techniques from a professional, while also giving the audience a behind-the-scenes look at the development of great singing.

鈥淚t is really a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our students to meet, speak with, and learn from someone at the top of the operatic profession,鈥澛爏aid Thomas Potter, director of 麻豆原创 Opera. 鈥淭his is an opportunity that many around the world would 鈥榞ive their right arm鈥� to be able to experience.鈥�

For more information visit, http://music.cah.ucf.edu/events.php?id=1807.

The festival will be held at the Trinity Preparatory School Auditorium, 5700 Trinity Prep Lane, Winter Park.

Miller, a professional football player-turned bass-baritone, is a renowned performer who has appeared in more than 200 performances at the Met has also been featured in prestigious magazines including the Classical Singer and Opera News.

鈥淣ormally, one would have to fly to New York to hear such an opera singer,鈥� said Thomas Potter, executive director of the 麻豆原创 Opera.聽 鈥淚t is very rare to have the chance to hear a current opera star work with students and speak with the audience about the 鈥榥uts and bolts鈥� of singing.鈥�

Miller agreed to lend his talent and voice for the fundraiser, which aims to provide scholarships for opera majors at 麻豆原创. The public gets a chance to hear his impressive voice while students will get a chance to work with him in a very special Master Class session during the two-day event.

The three-part festival begins at 7:30 p.m. Friday with Miller performing a solo recital alongside pianist Debra Ayers. He will perform selections from operas and musical theatre, including 鈥淪outh Pacific,鈥� 鈥淏eauty and the Beast,鈥� and 鈥淟es Mis茅rables.鈥�

At noon on Saturday, Miller will work with 麻豆原创 students in a Master Class session.聽 Each student will sing a selection, and Miller will work with them individually on aspects of singing such as breathing, resonance, diction, acting and body language.

The students will work with Miller in front of an audience, giving the crowd a behind-the-scenes look into the study and preparation that go into learning and performing opera.

Following the class, registered attendees have the opportunity speak with Miller at a VIP Meet the Artist Reception at a private home in Orlando.

For information on pricing or to purchase tickets, click .

To learn more about 麻豆原创 Opera, visit http://music.ucf.edu/opera.php.

On April 13, 2010, the 麻豆原创 Jazz Ensemble, comprised of freshmen, sophomores, and a few juniors in the emerging Jazz Studies program, recorded seven pieces with director Jeff Rupert.

The resulting collaboration, includes not only classics but also new works such as 鈥淏ad Moon鈥� and the title track written specifically for the 麻豆原创 Jazz Ensemble.

Jazz singer Vance Villastrigo joins the band on the jazz standard, 鈥淭he Eternal Triangle鈥�, arranged by Cliff Pecota and on the soul classic, 鈥淢e and Mrs. Jones鈥�, arranged specifically for this collaboration.

Repertory works include the Fletcher Henderson arrangement of 鈥淏ugle Call Rag鈥�, featuring several student soloists along with Allan Vach茅 on clarinet, whose contribution is exciting and flawless.

Thomas Potter (麻豆原创 voice faculty) joins the 麻豆原创 band and Villastrigo for a remake of the James Brown classic, 鈥淚t鈥檚 a Man鈥檚 World鈥�, inspired by the James Brown/Luciano Pavarotti collaboration. 鈥淟ush Life鈥� and 鈥淪pring Can Really Hang you Up the Most鈥� are live performances by the 麻豆原创 Jazz Professors at the internationally-acclaimed 麻豆原创 Orlando Jazz Festival.

Jazz Town was professionally recorded, mixed and mastered in Orlando at Starke Lake Studios by Kendall S. Thomsen. The album is distributed by 麻豆原创 Music’s new label . Packaging design and marketing materials were produced by 麻豆原创 Senior Art Specialist Matthew Dunn.

Thomas Potter is an associate professor in the

Jeff M Rupert is a professor in the Department of Music, and the program director of the Department of Music Jazz

For more on Thomas Potter visit the 麻豆原创 Department of Music.

“How great would it be to inspire a young library user to follow a career in opera while also giving the 麻豆原创 students a place to perfect their skills?” said Kris Woodson, development manager of OCLS programs and promotions. “It’d be a win-win!”

The Orlando Opera had partnered with Woodson and the library to offer free opera programs to the public, which lasted almost a year and served about 1,000 guests. The company hit hard times and in April 2009 closed due to economic hardships including lower ticket sales, reduced contributions and defaults on pledges from donors.

In an attempt to expand the opportunities available for its students, while also picking up where the Orlando Opera left off, the 麻豆原创 Opera program has partnered with the Orange County Library System at its downtown branch for a series of performances totaling four for the year.

“The library plays a very, very vital role in the community, especially during these tough economic times,” Woodson said. “We’re more than just books.”

The library offers over 300 classes every week, which Woodson says allows it to expose residents to things they might not otherwise be able to enjoy.

“A lot of times opera is thought of as more of a perk of the affluent and it’s really not,” Woodson said. “It’s an experience for every class.”

The opera program at 麻豆原创 partners with public schools in Central Florida, but Thomas Potter, the 麻豆原创 voice and choral area coordinator, said the library is a venue that would allow him to reach homeschooled children.

“I wanted to be able to reach kids that might not get the same exposure to the arts,” Potter said.

Potter has shared the stage with Luciano Pavarotti and sang professionally in Italy, France and Germany. He came to 麻豆原创 when the opera program was just a class and has helped it grow to include 28 undergraduate and graduate level students by creating programs like the partnership with OCLS.

“It’s a very important step in bringing opera to our community with the absence of the Orlando Opera,” said Emmanuel Cadet, a tenor graduate student at 麻豆原创, who is the stage director for the first production at the library.

“It is really helping us build our program here, out at 麻豆原创,” he said.

The first event is on October 30 at 2 p.m. and will highlight the fall event “The Grand Knights of Singing — An Opera Gala” that 麻豆原创 will perform in its performance hall on November 7, 12 and 14. Students will perform the second act of the opera “Die Fledermaus” by composer Johann Strauss. The opera, set in Vienna, is about guests at a ball who toast the joys of good life and dance until dawn.

Producing a gala show allows a lot of versatility, Potter said. It allows the opera program to be flexible with casting and use different characters from other operas opposed to being tied down to a certain script.

A typical performance would only require five to seven students. Potter said by choosing a gala show all 28 students can be involved; “it allows us to highlight different talents and let more students perform.”

Editor’s note: The reporter, Jerriann Sullivan, is a 麻豆原创 journalism student. This story was originally published on OrlandoSentinel.com, .