History of Malone Opera Theatre

Malone Opera Theatre was envisioned and launched by Cynthia Wohlschlager in the Fall of 2012. The first scene program was based around the idea that “all you need is a couple chairs," teaching students that one could start a workshop and pull together a creative production without a large budget. Wohlschlager felt that this was an important concept for students interested in both performance and education, as budgets in the music industry are not always plentiful. Our first fall semester featured the debut of Menotti’s Amahl and the Night Visitors as part of the Christmas at Malone program. That production was conducted by David Donelson, a faculty member fundamental in the birth of MOT.

Malone Opera Theatre took on its first full-length opera during the spring semester 2014, Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro. This production was set in the 1920's with Italian music and adapted English dialogue. Student conductor Justin Dye led our chamber wind and piano orchestra. In the fall of 2014, MOT's program entitled "Operas vs. Musicals" featured works with the same stories performed in both genres.

Spring of 2015 introduced our first collaboration with the Communication Arts Department, launching a full-length production of Sondheim’s Into the Woods. This production included a complete pit orchestra comprised of students and professional musicians from around Northeast Ohio. Fall 2015's program entitled "Myths, Monsters, Fairies, and Fantasy" integrated Menotti’s The Medium with other opera scenes based around the same theme.  In Spring 2016, we performed our second full-length Mozart opera, The Magic Flute, with German music, adapted English dialogue, and an innovative interpretation of this beautiful classic.

In 2017, the group performed a long-standing favorite, Amahl and the Night Visitors by Menotti in the fall and "Life, Laughter, and Longing" in the spring.  "Life, Laughter, and Longing" included selections from Suor Angelica by Puccini and Trial by Jury by Gilbert and Sullivan as well as original works by Malone faculty members, Jack Ballard and Jesse Ayers with selections from Intent and Purpose and Beneath Suspicion.

In spring 2018, the group delighted the audience with a long-time favorite, The Pirates of Penzance by Gilbert and Sullivan.  Fall 2018 featured the production titled "Do You Hear the People Sing?" and include many musical favorites.  In spring 2019, the group presented a Mozart classic, "The Marriage of Figaro."

"Scenes in Jeans (and other casual attire)" featuring scenes from operas by Mozart, Beethoven, Gilbert & Sullivan, and Gary D. Belshaw was the fall 2019 production and the group looks forward to their spring production, "The Children of the King."  The group will be premiering a BRAND NEW one-act opera by Canton's own Steve Parsons - Composer. The opera, "The Children of the King," is based on the children's book of the same name by best-selling Christian author Max Lucado.