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An ambitious and innovative performance will take to the Frederick C. Tillis Performance Hall stage when the UMass Amherst Opera and UMass Symphony Orchestra present “Fairy Tales and Magic in Opera” on Sunday, March 9 at 3:30 p.m. in the Bromery Center for the Arts.

The full UMass Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Gonzalo Hidalgo Ardila, will support a cast of talented singers in a performance of semi-staged scenes from some of the most famous magical operas of all time. The production will include excerpts and arias from “The Magic Flute” and “Don Giovanni” (Mozart), “Hansel and Gretel” (Humperdinck), “Rusalka” (Dvořák), “Turandot” (Puccini), and two different versions of “Cinderella”: Rossini’s “Cenerentola” and Massenet’s “Cendrillon.”

The orchestra will be showcased with three instrumental pieces: the overture from “Hansel and Gretel,” the entr’acte from “Carmen” (Bizet), and “Méditation,” from “Thaïs” (Massenet). 

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“These are the top, top titles of opera that we are going to play, and the music is very beautiful,” says Ardila, a self-professed lover of opera who brought the idea to campus after having been a part of similar collaborations in Venezuela.

Ardila suggests a lightly staged collaboration in Tillis, noting the importance of the experience for anyone who wants to play, sing or conduct professionally in the future.

“One of the most challenging things about playing opera is to follow the singers, supporting the voices,” he explains. “Not only playing the notes but knowing what is happening in the scene. What does the singer need? How do I play my instrument to support what the singer is singing? It’s a huge challenge and great experience to play the opera; this is a remarkable opportunity.”

The opera program at UMass Amherst is under the direction of Marjorie Melnick, who is on sabbatical this semester but taught much of the musical pieces to the cast in the fall. Helping to bring the magic to life will be stage director Nathan Troupe who returns to campus from his role with the Boston Conservatory at Berklee. Professors William Hite and Jamie-Rose Guarrinne, both of whom have considerable opera experience themselves, are producing the show.

“It’s the first time since 2002 that opera has collaborated with the orchestra in Tillis,” Hite says. “We’ve had orchestra play in Bowker, but this is a different setup. So that’s unique about it. The theme, start time and structure of the concert are designed to make this concert appealing to families and those who are less or unfamiliar with traditional opera.”

Ardila also highlights the importance of making sure this production was accessible to a wide audience.

“I tell my classes that at that time, the opera was like the cinema - the way people enjoyed their time was seeing the opera. Now, people think the opera is for only a small group. But it’s for everybody,” he says. “This is the idea of this concert. It doesn’t matter if you don’t know anything about the opera — when you listen to the music, you’re going to recognize many of these melodies from movies, TV, commercials. Come, enjoy the show, enjoy the feeling and spend a few hours listening and seeing this beautiful show that we have for everybody.”

Discounted tickets are available for seniors 65 and older, youth 17 and younger, students and UMass employees with ID. Full-time currently enrolled UMass students can obtain free tickets with ID.

For more information about the performance or to purchase tickets, visit the College of Humanities and Fine Arts Department of Music and Dance website, the Fine Arts Center Box Office website or call 413-545-2511.