The Western Illinois University School of Music is trading the concert hall for the forest floor this week, bringing a classic fairy tale to life at the Macomb Arts Center.
The university will present Seymour Barab’s “Little Red Riding Hood,” a 45-minute opera designed for the young and the young at heart, at 3:45 p.m. Thursday, May 7. Set at 25 East Side Square, the production promises a big adventure featuring a brave young girl and a wolf with a pesky tummy ache.
The cast features Ray Hospenthal in the title role, alongside Evelyn Ortman as the Mother and Lisa Wipperling as the dancing Grandmother. Josiah Daneels and Zander Eckermann round out the ensemble as the Wolf and the Huntsman.
Admission is free, though the Macomb Arts Center will accept donations at the door. It is the perfect chance for families to skip the trip through the woods and enjoy a high-note performance right in the heart of Macomb—just be sure to keep an eye out for any big ears or sharp teeth in the front row.
