A riveting French masterpiece will be presented as the 2026 Hillman Opera at SUNY Fredonia.

The Hillman Memorial Music Association, in collaboration with the Fredonia College of Music, Theatre, and Dance, presents "Dialogues of the Carmelites" on Friday, November 13th and Saturday, November 14th at 7:30 PM in the Harry A. King Concert Hall of Rockefeller Arts Center.

Tickets are available online 24/7 and may also be purchased on Monday, Wednesday or Friday by phone at (716) 673-3501 or in person at the Campus Ticket Office in the Williams Center. Office hours are 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM.

The Hillman production will be presented in French with English supertitles. Don Marrazzo serves as producer. With music and libretto by Francis Poulenc, "Dialogues of the Carmelites" is considered a 20th century operatic masterpiece.

"Poulenc's beautiful, profoundly moving score is at the center of the Hillman Opera production," Marrazzo said. "Directed by Distinguished Teaching Professor, Paul Mockovak, and conducted by Director of Orchestral Activities, Dr. Emily Schaad, this production will be an opportunity for audience members to discover the incredible talent we have here at Fredonia. 'Dialogues of the Carmelites' is one of the greatest operas of the 20th century, and its final scene -- the Salve Regina -- is widely considered to be one of the most powerful and devastating endings in all of opera."

The tale unfolds in Paris during the French Revolution. A young aristocrat seeks peace in a convent only to face the ultimate test of courage.

"In 'Dialogues of the Carmelites,' the solidarity and bravery of the Carmelite nuns is a stark contrast to the chaotic violence of the French Revolution's Reign of Terror," Marrazzo said. "Audiences will witness how a shared spiritual commitment and deep communal love can sustain individuals through a dark societal collapse. This work is certainly timely, and my hope is that audience members will take with them deep reflections on the human condition and the nature of courage."

Instead of being centered on more standard operatic themes like love, betrayal, or vengeance, Marazzo explained "Dialogues of the Carmelites" focuses on "internal human struggles" including fear, anxiety, mortality, and more specifically, the journey of Blanche de la Force, a young noblewoman who enters a convent to try to escape a paralyzing fear of the world.

"Unlike the majority of the standard operatic repertoire, 'Dialogues of the Carmelites' revolves almost entirely around women and features a deeply layered female cast, offering major dramatic and vocal tours de force for multiple characters including Blanche, Sister Constance, Mother Marie, and two uniquely complex Mother Superiors," he said. 

The student cast features four graduate students pursing their master’s degrees in Music Performance. They are:

• Gabrielle Gance, from Binghamton, as Blanche de la Force.
• Andrew George, from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia as Chevalier de la Force.
• Amie Adams, from Hamburg, as Madame Lidoine.
• Kayla Sorensen, from Glenwood, as Mère Marie.

Undergraduates featured in the production are:

• Zechariah Beckett (Marquis de la Force), a music education major from Newark, Ohio.
• Hudson Smith (L'Aumônier), a music education major from Gowanda.
• Lindsay Haner (Sœur Constance), a music education and performance major from Clintonville.
• Margaret Shafer (Mère Jeanne), a music education and vocal jazz major with a minor in mathematics, from West Falls.
• Mia O'Malley (Sœur Mathilde), a music education and voice performance major from Peekskill.
• Chris Dow (Thierry), a music education major from Amherst.
• Dakota Morrison (Dr. Javelinot), a music composition major from Rome.
• Zachary Formhals (First Commissioner), a music education and performance major from Mastic Beach.
• Sean Mahon (Second Commissioner & First Officer), a music performance major from Belfast.
• Jude Chiarella (Jailor), a music education major with a minor in theatre arts, from Queens.
• Miranda Wilcox (Madame de Croissy cover), a music education major from Falconer.
• Ava Hartung (Blanche de la Force cover), a music education major from Fredonia.

"Over 130 students are involved in this production, which is wonderful. The Hillman Opera productions not only educate students about important works in the operatic cannon; they also educate them about how an opera production it built from the ground up," Marrazzo said. "The singers, instrumentalists, and technical crews learn about the various parts of producing an opera and come to understand and have great respect for one another's unique talents and skills. Participating in a Hillman Opera production -- whether in front of the curtain or behind it -- is an invaluable educational and bonding experience. Genuine teamwork at its finest."

The Hillman production of "Dialogues of the Carmelites” is made possible from support from Julie Newell, Hillman Opera Patrons, Friends of the Michael C. Rockefeller Arts Center. It is presented as part of the 2026-2027 Greater Chautauqua Federal Credit Union season.