Opera Colorado bring romantic comedy, celebrated drag queen to Denver stage

Opera Colorado is opening it's 2024/25 season with the sharp, funny romantic comedy "Daughter of the Regiment."  This Italian opera is set in France among the 21st French Regiment. The soldiers find and take responsibility for a young orphan girl.

"She grows up. She's wild… a little rebelious. She goes against a lot of societal conventions for women," said Katrina Galka, who plays Marie in the Opera Colorado production. "Along the way, as well, she falls in love with Tonio, who decides to enlist in the army so he can marry her because he is not French and he is not part of the 21st Regiment."

Just when you think the couple will get their happily ever after, a long lost aunt comes into the picture to "civilize" Marie. Monét X Change who plays the role of  Duchess of Krakenthorp, the mother of a proper suitor for Marie. Monét X Change is a celebrated drag queen and winner of "RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars." Known offstage as Kevin Akeem Bertin, Monét X Change is a classically trained singer and brings her own flare to the role.

While "Daughter of the Regiment" is fun, and features physical comedy as well as situational comedy, it is technically difficult to sing.

"The aria, 'Ah! Mes amis' in 'Daughters of the Regiment' is imfamous for having 9 high C's. Singing a high C is unbelievably difficult," said Andrew Stenson, who sings Tonio. "I have to make sports analogies to get my father to understand these things quite frequently, so I equate this to like throwing an immaculate inning in baseball – 3 outs in 9 pitches, or hitting 9 homeruns in a row in the homerun derby, but the last one, because you always hold the last high note the longest, needs to be like your 500-footer homerun."

The Opera Colorado production of "Daughter of the Regiment" is being directed by Chía Patiño. Music Director Ari Pelto will lead the Opera Colorado Orchestra.

LINK: For Tickets & Information for "Daughter of the Regiment"

Opera Colorado's "Daughter of the Regiment" plays November 9, 12, 15, & 17, 2024 at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House.