Eastern Connecticut State University

« Back to Recent News

Eastern to present a pair of classic American operas

'The Face on the Barroom Floor' and 'The Beautiful Bridegroom' this November

Willimantic, CT (10/12/2023) — Eastern Connecticut State University's Department of Performing Arts will soon treat audiences to a double dose of American sung drama. "An American Opera Double Bill" will be presented in the Fine Arts Instructional Center's Concert Hall on Nov. 10 at 7:30 p.m. and Nov. 12 at 4 p.m.

The performances will include Henry Mollicone's "The Face on the Barroom Floor" and Dan Shore's "The Beautiful Bridegroom," performed consecutively.

"The Face on the Barroom Floor" is inspired by the painting of a mysterious face on the floor of the historic Teller House Bar in Central City, CO. Mollicone's operatic version of the tale is based on Hugh Antoine D'Arcy's ballad poem from 1887. Mollicone's evocative score and John S. Bowman's time-traveling libretto draw the audience into this operatic tragedy that unfolds in three short scenes.

Shore's "The Beautiful Bridegroom" is based on an 18th-century play by Ludwig Holberg. This one-act comic opera tells the story of an elderly woman, Terenzia, who seeks a strapping young suitor - not for her two eligible daughters, but for herself. Shore's score ingeniously weaves Mozart's musical language with his own.

Tickets are free for Eastern students, non-Eastern students and all youth (18 and under); $5 for groups of 10 or more; $10 for senior citizens; $12 for Eastern faculty, staff and alumni and $20 for the general public. Tickets for this production are on sale at the following link: https://easternct.showare.com/americanopera/

Eastern students can reserve their free ticket (upon completion of a short survey). To reserve your Eastern student ticket, visit: https://forms.gle/gDLV1oP87dXGERtg9

For reservations, phone the FAIC Box Office at (860) 465-5123 or email theatreboxoffice@easternct.edu

Please be advised this production uses imitation gun props and simulated gunshot sounds.

###

Eastern Connecticut State University is the state of Connecticut's public liberal arts university, serving upwards of 4,000 students annually on its Willimantic campus. In addition to attracting students from 160 of Connecticut's 169 towns, Eastern also draws students from 30 states and eight countries. A residential campus offering 41 majors and 68 minors, Eastern offers students a strong liberal arts foundation grounded in a variety of applied learning opportunities. Ranked among the top 20 public institutions in the North by U.S. News & World Report in its 2022-23 Best Colleges ratings, Eastern has also been awarded 'Green Campus' status by the Princeton Review 13 years in a row. For more information, visit www.easternct.edu.

Media Attachments

A scene from Eastern's "The Face on the Barroom Floor"

A scene from Eastern's "The Face on the Barroom Floor"

Copyright © 2025 Merit Pages, Inc. • All Rights Reserved. • Terms of Service • Privacy Policy • Opt Out