Mission Opera presents “Girondines” (west coast premiere)

Use code NEWMUSICUSA for $5 off General Admission or Orchestra section tickets!Mission Opera presents "Girondines" by Kirsten C. Kunkle (librettist) and Sarah Van Sciver (composer), an American Musical Drama in English, based on timeless true stories of French Revolution women.For this production, four performances are scheduled, for Saturday October 28th, 2023 at 3:00 PM and 7:30 PM, and for Sunday October 29th, 2023 at 3:00 PM and 7:30 PM at the Canyon High School Performing Arts Center in Santa Clarita. Performances will be presented with supertitles in English y con subtítulos en español. 45 minutes prior to each Saturday performance, music historian Kathryn Pisaro will present pre-opera talks as introductions to "Girondines."The entire performance will last approximately 90 minutes, which includes a 15-minute intermission. The music of "Girondines" features a vocal sextet accompanied by harp, cello, violin, piano, and electronics.SCHEDULE SATURDAY OCTOBER 28, 2023 2:15-2:45 PM: Pre-Opera Talk 3:00-4:30 PM: Matinee Performance 6:45-7:15 PM: Pre-Opera Talk 7:30-9:00 PM: Evening PerformanceSUNDAY OCTOBER 29, 2023 3:00-4:30 PM: Matinee Performance 7:30-9:00 PM: Evening PerformanceSATURDAY MATINEE & SUNDAY EVENING CAST Kirsten C. Kunkle as Charlotte Corday Ashley Becker as Olympe de Gouges Laurice Kennel as Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun Claire Pegram as Madame Manon Roland Kaitlyn Tierney as Madame Germaine De Staël Marisa Robinson as Marie-Anne Pierrette Paulze LavoisierSATURDAY EVENING & SUNDAY MATINEE CAST Catherine Antonia Kenney as Charlotte Corday Jessica Schneiderman as Olympe de Gouges Ariel Pisturino as Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun Leeza Yorke as Madame Manon Roland Alexis Wesley as Madame Germaine De Staël Laurel Irene as Marie-Anne Pierrette Paulze LavoisierPRODUCTION ALSO FEATURES Kirsten C. Kunkle, Stage Direction & Choreography Sarah Van Sciver, Music Direction & Technical Direction Caroline Morgan, Stage Management Nelya Coomans, Assistant Stage Management Donald Pittman, Audio & Video Engineering Constanze Bonelli & Katherine Craig, Costume Design Sarah Van Sciver, Graphic Design & Sound Design Brian Nielson, Lighting Design & Engineering Sarah Van Sciver, Projection & Prop Design Shawn Taylor, Set Design & Construction Sarah Van Sciver, Supertitle Design & TranslationSYNOPSIS The Girondines are six women operating a secret society during the French Revolution. They are friends, intellectuals, feminists, revolutionaries, and even considered radicals. Through them, important works are written and major events happen – always under the surface.The women are… Three who die during the Reign of Terror: Charlotte Corday – Revolutionary Girondist who murders Marat in his bathtub after the September Massacres. She is the catalyst for all that befalls the remaining women, and indeed most of the terrors after her own death. She kills Marat to try to save countless others. It fails miserably. Madame Manon Roland - Girondist who hated Robespierre, Danton, Marat. Considered a moderate, she was close to the church. She had to fight off sexual assault young and later became a feminist writer who was quite prolific. She is killed during the Reign of Terror in November. Olympe de Gouges – Considered a radical feminist Girondist, she wrote Declaration of the Rights of Woman and of the [Female] Citizen, which pontificated that all women were equal to men. She was killed for treason during the Reign of Terror. Three who live past the Reign of Terror: Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun – a famous painter, she was under the patronage of Marie Antoinette and painted over 30 portraits of her, including the most famous ones. Through her, the group has a direct connection to the royal family, and keeps abreast of their actions. Madame Germaine de Staël – political theorist who was extremely anti-Napoleon. The head of the Coppet group after the Reign of Terror, she was instrumental in the downfall of Bonaparte. A proponent of individuality and passion, she was an active writer and conversationalist. Marie-Anne Pierrette Paulze Lavoisier – a notable chemist, she lived, but had to endure the death of her husband and father during the Reign of Terror. She was bankrupted and eventually regained her property and the works of her husband, thus securing his legacy after the Reign of Terror.A FEW NOTES ON TICKETS Each VIP Ticket comes with special perks: reserved premium parking, premium seats, a Girondines keepsake, and a voucher for a complimentary beverage and snack at intermission. Backstage tours are also available to VIP ticket-holders upon request. Student and Senior attendees are eligible for discounted ticket options providing that they present identification to verify their student or senior status at the box office. Due to mature themes and content in "Girondines," this production is recommended for ages 13 and up.