THE ITALIAN LESSON

MURDER             JUSTICE               OPERA

an opera in two acts

words and music by Peter Wing Healey

When Kansas City, Kansas, coed Belinda Foxtrot goes to historic Pannacotta, Italy for a year abroad, she little suspects that her British roommate will be brutally murdered or that she will fall prey to the notorious Detective Chief Inspector, Giorgio Cantaricci.  After she, and her princely boyfriend, Benissimo, are thrown in jail, we find out that the devious, alcoholic, nun-with-a-past, Sister Flavia, will have a key role in their conviction.  Will the mysterious Madame Zia be able to change the terrible verdict – Colpevole -- guilty as charged – once Sister Flavia has been shipped off to the Clinic in Beverly Hills?

A globe-trotting, spine-tingling, mytho-operatic tragicomedy, The Italian Lesson is loosely based on a famous case.

The Highland Park Ebell Club

131 S Ave 57, Los Angeles, CA 90042–

Friday, June 9, Saturday June 10,

Wednesday, June 14 and

Saturday, June 17, 2023 at 8 PM.

Belinda Foxtrot                    Brooke Iva Lohman  

Benissimo Ciutacci                 Xavier Prado  

Giorgio Cantaricci                  Eric Castro  

Massimo Hunkonori                Matthew Ian Welch

Sister Flavia                       Jessica Mamey  

Granny/Madame Zia                Christa Marie Stevens

Enzo Splatzianna                   Marco Antonio Lozano  

Giudetta Multicara                  Britta Sterling  

Jane Marple                       Rachel Felstein  

Hercule Poirot                     Steve Moritsugu  

Sherlock Holmes                   Norge Yip  

Raffaella, Mother Superior

Zefferella, Sister Mallyrose          Andi Dana  

James Lent (Saturday June 10 and Saturday June 17)

Milos Veljkovic (Friday June 9, Wednesday, June 14

Michelle Sheehy, Celeste Pena violin  

Cindy Hickox, Logan Hodgson cello  

Mike Basak percussion

Blüthner grand piano provided by Kasimoff-Blüthner Piano Co., Hollywood, CA

Sets and Costumes by Claire Fraser

Lighting by Georg Lion

WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY

PETER WING HEALEY

assistant director and choreographer Kenwa Newell

Videos

of

The Italian Lesson

filmed by

Harry Hall

photos by Harry Hall

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