South Bend Lyric Opera presents world premiere of Marjorie Rusche's 'Our American Odyssey'

SOUTH BEND — South Bend Lyric Opera presents the world premiere of composer Marjorie Rusche’s “Our American Odyssey” at 7 p.m. Oct. 20 and 21 in Northside Hall at Indiana University South Bend.

Inspired by Homer’s “The Odyssey” and the currents of our time, the opera blends the worlds of mythological and modern men and women.

In it, Odysseus journeys from an ancient world of battle to become a Wall Street profiteer who slays the monster Cyclops on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange.

He then journeys to Circe’s Malibu Spiritual Retreat and Calypso’s Cayman Islands luxury resort before he returns to his true home.

Penelope, while beset with grief for the loss of Odysseus, heroically strategizes to get rid of the harassing suitors led by the bully Antinous, telepathically reconnects with Odysseus in Circe’s Malibu Spiritual Retreat and aids her fiber arts studio assistant Clea with her immigration issues.

Reunited, Penelope and Odysseus vow to rebuild a safe, loving home and flourishing society in Ithaca (aka America).

The piano-vocal production features soprano Mary Martin as Penelope, tenor Seth Johnson as Odysseus, bass-baritone Carl Ratner as Cyclops, soprano Elizabeth Schleicher as Circe, mezzo soprano Eleni Taluzek as Calypso, and mezzo soprano Emma Sorenson as Clea.

Ratner also serves as stage director with pianist Ellis Anderson and musical director Juan-Carlos Alarcon.

Rusche describes the music as lyric, dramatic and comic, a contemporary opera/music theater/minimalism/world music blend.

Rusche is an internationally performed, award-winning contemporary classical composer who combines romantic, modernist and vernacular influences in her music. She composes for opera, music theater, orchestra, chorus, a variety of vocal and instrumental chamber ensembles, soloists, dance, and theater.

She has taught music composition, orchestration, opera history, music theory and piano at IUSB, the University of Notre Dame, Saint Mary’s College and Colombia College Chicago.

A reception follows each performance.

Tickets are $40; $20 for students with ID at the door.

For more information, visit southbendlyricopera.org and marjorieruscheouramericanodysseyopera.com.

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: SB Lyric Opera premieres Rusche's 'Our American Odyssey' opera