Opera Omaha's 'The Girl of the Golden West' is a full spectacle that includes fights.
The fights, all staged to look painful, but they're not. That's the secret behind the scuffles
"Fanciulla Del West, is probably the apex of fighting in opera, there are so many," Christian Zaremba, a New York opera singer and fight choreographer said.
Zaremba has to come Omaha just to work on the show. He says while opera singers get used to using their bodies more in this production, moving around and fighting while singing, it might not be as hard as you think.
"The conception of opera sings of yester year, where they just stand and sing or park and bark as we like to say is really a relic."
First, the actors go through the music on page, without instruments playing, and plot out some standard moves. Moves including falling into a punch or flaying with a hit. Then, they go through hours of rehearsals to get it just right. Another trick are bottles made of sugar, so actors can break them over each others heads and it won't hurt.
"Everyone is flying around and throwing punches-it's a wild west town," Zaremba said.
Wild, but painting a full picture of the past, while punching audiences into the future of opera. Opera Omaha's 'The Girl of the Golden West' will have performances at the Orpheum on February 12th and the 14th. For more information, visit ticketomaha.com.
