Professor ends career as ‘Fella’

For a man about to end a 44-year singing career, IU professor Timothy Noble is surprisingly upbeat. He smiles, chuckles, cracks jokes and even breaks out into a spirited Flo Rida rap and Soulja Boy dance routine.  

IU Opera Theater’s “The Most Happy Fella” will be the last production of Noble’s distinguished singing career. The production will run this weekend and next at the Musical Arts Center.

Noble will star in Friday’s and April 18’s performances as middle-aged Tony Esposito, who falls in love with beautiful Rosabella. Since she doesn’t remember him, Tony sends her a picture of his young, handsome ranch hand, Joe, instead of himself during their mail correspondence, and comedic mishaps and mischief ensue.

“It’s a role that I’ve always wanted to do,” Noble said. “I’m the most happy fella because I’m a pretty upbeat kind of guy. It’s also an old man’s role. I can’t do a lot of the lead roles now because I’m too fat and I’m too old, but this is perfect.”

For the student performers in “The Most Happy Fella,” having Noble as a cast member has proved to be a great learning experience.  

“In this stage of the game, we’re learning our craft and he’s been through his career already,” said doctoral student Elisabeth Marshall, who plays Rosabella. “But it’s not nerve-wracking at all. He put the whole cast at ease right at the beginning.”

Noble is a renowned baritone who has previously performed leading operatic roles such as Rigoletto and Falstaff at venues like the Metropolitan Opera in New York and San Francisco Opera, as well as abroad in Italy, the Netherlands, France, Germany and Canada.

Despite his full professional career, Noble has no regrets about ending it. For now, he would rather teach than perform, and he plans to stay at IU as a professor “as long as they’ll have (him).”

“How can I be sad when I’ve done all I’ve done?” he said. “It’s just part of the deal. It’s time to pass the torch. This chapter’s not mine, it’s for the students. The fun part now is to watch them blossom.”

“The Most Happy Fella” originally debuted on Broadway in 1956, with the book, score and lyrics by Frank Loesser.  

“Loesser did it all,” said stage director Vincent Liotta. “He was a more universal talent than most composers for musical theater.”

This production features much more dancing and acting than the opera student performers are used to.  

“You take a whole bunch of opera students who have never had an acting or dancing lesson in their lives and put them in a show where they really have to act and really have to dance,” said doctoral student Bethany Barber, who plays Cleo. “It can get really interesting.”

Both Liotta and Noble were stunned at how well the students caught on.  

“I expect good singing, and there is,” Noble said. “But what really blew me away was how well these kids can dance.”

Joshua Bergasse is the choreographer, and the production is conducted by Broadway veteran Constantine Kitsopoulos.  

Liotta said this version is much shorter than the original production.

“It’s keeping with the modern musical style,” Liotta said. “The audience is going to love the big rowdy showbiz stuff, but they’re also going to love the sweet, romantic side of it. There’s a lot to love.”

Noble said he loves that this is his last stage performance and that he can finally be home for good.

“I’m having the time of my life because I know it’s the end,” Noble said. “After being on the road 40 years of my life, I finally don’t have to pack a suitcase anymore. I don’t have to stay in another hotel again for weeks on end. I can go home to my own bed at night and finally have my family around me.”

Not everyone is excited with Noble’s decision to quit singing.

“I wish it weren’t true,” said Barber. “It’s such a joy and honor to work with him, and it makes me sad to think he’s leaving. He’s such an amazing performer. And he’s still got it.”