Students will have an opportunity to go back in time to the 18th Century with a sigh of comic relief.

Elizabeth Brown said “Comic Intermezzo: The Clever Woman and Foolish Man” could help students expand their horizons.

“This will expose them to something they never knew they could enjoy,” said Brown, a member of the University Board.

UB will sponsor the play “Comic Intermezzo” at 7 tonight in the Grand Ballroom of the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union.

According to Comic Intermezzo’s website, intermezzos were chamber operas that provided a commercial break from the long serious operas.

Intermezzo’s were first performed in 1706 and shifted through Europe.

Elizabeth said the opera is in English, so it should be easy for students to follow.

“They also give an explanation before the opera starts,” she said.

Brown said UB has planned for the play ever since they went to a convention.

“We learned of Comic Intermezzo by going to a conference called NACA,” Brown said.

NACA is the National Association for Campus Activities where talent is showcased for students who are responsible for bringing entertainment to their campuses.

Brown said UB has advertised the play by putting up fliers, and utilized the Web to get the word out.

“I also went to many of the teachers in the theater department to tell them about the opera and have asked for some help from the music department as well,” she said.

Comic Intermezzo, a popular art form in the 18th Century, will be accompanied with costumes, dance, and harpsichord and string instruments.

A harpsichord is a musical instrument played like a keyboard.

The strings of the instrument are plucked when each key is pressed.

Brown said students would respond to this play the way they expect to respond to the opera.

“If they go into any event expecting to like it, they are more likely to enjoy it than if they expect to hate it,” she said. “Students should go with an open mind and be prepared for anything to happen.”

Jessica Leggin can be reached at 581-7942 or at jmleggin@eiu.edu.