OU to Present Only Oklahoma, U.S. Performance of Landmark Opera

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NORMAN, OKLA. – The University of Oklahoma will present the Oklahoma premiere of The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny, an opera by Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht, from March 6-9 at the Reynolds Performing Arts Center on the OU-Norman campus. The production marks the only scheduled U.S. performance of the opera during the 2024-2025 theater season.

Originally composed in 1929, The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny is a satire that explores themes of greed, power and the consequences of excess. Set in a lawless city built by fugitives, the opera follows the fortunes of those who arrive seeking pleasure and wealth – only to see their society unravel. While traditionally performed in German, OU’s production will be presented in English and reimagined in a 1980s setting, highlighting that era’s culture, says OU Opera Stage Director Nicole Kenley-Miller, D.M.A.

The production involves over 100 OU students, with 31 cast members, 40 orchestra musicians, numerous crew members, student designers and production workers. Kenley-Miller is the stage director, and Jonathan Shames, D.M.A., is the artistic director and conductor of the OU Opera.

Kenley-Miller brings extensive experience to the production, having worked on more than 50 operas in her career. “This is an opera I have always wanted to direct. It exists in this fascinating space between traditional opera and the popular music styles of the 1920s and 1930s. Even though it was written by German artists, it carries significant American musical influences, including Broadway, jazz and cabaret. The students have really enjoyed engaging with those styles – it is music they understand on an instinctive level.”

Kenley-Miller emphasizes the opera’s underlying message, noting its critique of a society driven by wealth and self-interest. “The story centers on a man named Jimmy who arrives in this city built on hedonism and pleasure. He spends all his money, runs up a bar tab and ends up on trial. Ultimately, he is sentenced to death – not for any serious crime, but simply for being unable to pay his debts. Brecht used this extreme scenario to make a powerful point: when a society prioritizes profit over people, it ultimately collapses in on itself.”

While Mahagonny contains moments of humor and upbeat musical numbers, its core themes remain unsettlingly relevant.

“I want people to come and experience the show, to enjoy the music and the spectacle, but also to engage with its deeper message,” Kenley-Miller said. “Brecht called his approach ‘alienation theater’ – his goal was to make audiences think, not just sit back and be entertained. Mahagonny does that in a way that is both captivating and challenging.”

The decision to update the setting to the 1980s was a deliberate one. “The opera was originally set around the time it was written, but I felt the themes resonated strongly with the 1980s – a decade marked by the idea that greed is good,” Kenley-Miller said. “Our students are really into it, too. There is something about the 1980s aesthetic, music and cultural moment that makes the opera’s themes hit even harder for today’s audiences.”

Vocally, Mahagonny demands a wide range of styles. “The lead role of Jimmy requires a powerful tenor voice and we are fortunate to have doctoral student Matt Corcoran, who is perfectly suited for the part,” Kenley-Miller said.

“His love interest, Jenny, was originally sung by Weill’s wife, Lotte Lenya, and the role can be performed in a range of styles, from full operatic to a more cabaret-inspired, Marlene Dietrich sound. That variety makes the piece vocally and dramatically unique.” The role of Jenny is double cast with graduate sopranos Carol Jarrett and Kate Snowden.

While Mahagonny is distinct from traditional operatic fare like Verdi, Mozart or Puccini, its blend of theatrical storytelling and musical innovation makes it a unique experience. “A lot of operas sweep you away with their beauty and romance,” Kenley-Miller said. “This one does something different. It presents you with irony, sharp contrasts and a message that lingers long after the final note. The music might sound cheerful, but it often underscores something dark and unsettling – like Jimmy’s trial and sentencing. It’s a striking, unusual piece of theater.”

Tickets are available online at theatre.ou.edu or by phoning or visiting the Fine Arts Box Office, 405-325-4101, 500 W. Boyd St., Norman. Due to mature themes and depictions of violence, audience discretion is advised.

The Weitzenhoffer Family College of Fine Arts at the University of Oklahoma produces more than 400 concerts, recitals, plays, musicals, operas and dance performances annually. Learn more at ou.edu/finearts.