'Dialogues' deeply moving for student cast members

The Catholic Church is associated with many musical genres such as the cantata and the oratorio, but it usually is never associated with the opera. French composer Francis Poulenc changed that in 1956 when he wrote "Dialogues des Carmelites." Translated as "Dialogues of the Carmelites," the opera is based on the true story of the convent of Carmelite nuns who were martyred during the French Revolution. This opera comes to IU Friday, and some performers spoke about their perceptions of the opera based on their experience in it.\nGraduate student Stephanie Bain, who plays Mother Marie, the prioress, said that adjusting to the role of a nun required much discipline and precision in gestures. Another element that Bain found different from her previous experience was the historical nature of the subject.\n"Since it is based off of history, each nun actually once lived and has a specific background, name and personality," Bain said. "There are no generic nuns in the opera, which makes it even more touching. It is totally different from any other operatic situation, since most operas are works of fiction."\nDoctoral student Sheila Murphy, who plays Sister Constance, agreed with Bain. \n"This opera has made us all look at nuns differently," she said. "We've grown to respect them and discovered that, for the time, they were actually quite liberated women. Inside their cloister they could do many things that women outside were forbidden from doing."\nMurphy said the cast's portrayal of nuns is as accurate as possible. Stage director Tazewell Thompson, who has staged this opera at such prestigious venues as the New York Met, was actually raised by Carmelite nuns for six years. Later, he obtained special permission from the Pope to visit a Carmelite prioress in Montreal, a visit normally off limits for men. From her he learned more about the order and obtained patterns for the habits the Carmelite nuns actually wear. Murphy described the IU performance as "classy" because of the great degree of research and accuracy put into it.\nGraduate student Christina Bonsall, who portrays the novice Constance, said Thompson's respect for nuns comes out in the opera. \n"He has such a respect for the nuns, and it's amazing to work with him because he knows everything about them," she said.\nIn addition to teaching them about the nuns, Thompson encouraged the singers to connect emotionally with their characters.\n"In an opera as intense as 'Dialogues,' it's easy for all the emotion to affect a cast of mostly women," Bonsall said. "But (Thompson) encourages us to cry and express our emotion. It really moves all of us, him and everyone watching us."\nEach of the singers wants to move her audience above all else, and Bain said it is important to express that intention to the audience. \n"The characters in this opera are all driven by service to God, prayer for others and martyrdom, so I want to show the purity and resolve of being a Carmelite nun," she said.\nBonsall agreed.\n"I don't want to do disservice to such great people," she said.\nMurphy spoke about a specific line in her part, in which her character sings that life is so beautiful that death must be beautiful as well.\n"This is one of the most profound ideas about life and death, and I really want the audience to understand its meaning," Murphy said. "The Carmelites view death as a continuation of life, and I want the audience to see that."\nThe three singers said that they were all deeply touched by the opera and want the audience to feel same way.\nBonsall gave the example of Diction Coach Mona Houston and how her thoughts of the opera changed.\n"She absolutely hated the opera when we began to rehearse," Bonsall said. "Working with this production has made it now her favorite opera."\nThe singers encouraged the audience to keep a similarly open mind to it.\n"This performance means a lot to us," Murphy said, "and we really want the audience to be as touched by it as we are."\n-- Contact Staff Writer Adam Sedia at asedia@indiana.edu.