IU Opera Theater performs Broadway musical comedy

The Indiana University Opera Theater is bringing Broadway to Bloomington when the musical comedy “She Loves Me” begins Friday evening.

Performances will take place 8 p.m. July 25 and 26 and Aug. 1 and 2 at the Musical Arts Center.

“It is uplifting and all very upbeat,” said executive administrator of the IU Opera Theater Maria Levy. “(The audience) will leave the performance with a smile on their faces.”

“She Loves Me” focuses on the relationship between co-workers Georg Nowack and Amalia Balash, played by IU students Kenneth Pereira and Sara Radke.

Georg Nowack is a bachelor in his late 20s, Pereira said. Radke described her character as a young woman who tends to live her life through books. She said the best way to define her would be as a hopeless romantic.

The plot is formed around the idea that the two become pen pals without learning one another’s true identity.

“Through the Lonely Hearts Club, they become anonymous pen pals,” Pereira said. “She falls in love with him through literature, art and music.”

In real life, however, the two characters despise one another, Radke said.

Audience members may recognize the plot of “She Loves Me” from the 1998 film “You’ve Got Mail,” starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. “You’ve Got Mail” is one of many movies inspired by the musical comedy. Others include “Shop Around the Corner” (1940) starring James Stewart and Margaret Sullavan, and “The Good Old Summertime” (1949) starring Van Johnson and Judy Garland.

“It is a beautiful piece that is being revived,” said Levy.

IU’s version of “She Loves Me” is directed by Jacobs School of Music Professor Vincent Liotta.

This is the second time Liotta has brought “She Loves Me” to the Bloomington campus.

“It is a great example of American musicals – one that we don’t see anymore,” said Liotta. “If you like musicals at all, then you will like this.”

A pre-concert called “Opera Insights” will be held on the MAC Mezzanine one hour before each showing of “She Loves Me.” The talk is meant to familiarize audience members with opera, said Alain Barker, Jacobs School of Music director of marketing and publicity.

Tickets for She Loves Me are available online at www.music.indiana.edu/events through Ticketmaster, or at the MAC Box Office. The MAC Box Office is located on Jordan Avenue and is open from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

“It is just charming,” said Radke “It may even bring a tear to your eye.”