Barlacco’s heart bounces and bounces and bounces.

“Then it slows down like tic-toc, tic-toc, tic-toc,” Barlocco sang.

Barlocco played by Peter VanDeGraaff sang this melody to his lover Sofia, played by Kathleen VanDeGraaff, Wednesday night.

The University Board sponsored the opera “Comic Intermezzo: The Clever Woman and Foolish Man” in the Grand Ballroom of the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union.

“The Clever Woman and the Foolish Man” is about a poor witty soprano, Sofia, who wants Barlocco for his money, but wants love to be the ultimate reason why he marries her.

During the play, Sofia dresses as a man and plays her own suitor to trick Barlocco to prove he loves her for her, and not because he is rich.

Kathleen VanDeGraaff said people should step outside of the box when it comes to operas.

“The story (“The Clever Woman and the Foolish Man”) are timeless,” she said. “There are some today women who might want to marry men just for their money.”

Kathleen VanDeGraaff said when she was in high school she was scared of operas.

“But I fell in love with it the more I saw it,” she said.

During the performance, the play was accompanied with instruments.

Some of the instruments such as the cello and the harpsichord were made as early as the 1600s.

Before the performance Kathleen VanDeGraaff and Peter VanDeGraaff gave a short comical duet about how all men are donkeys.

“All men are donkeys just take it from me,” he sang.

VanDeGraaff said classical music could have some enjoyment.

“Classical music being serious is not always the case,” he said.

Peter VanDeGraaff said when students think of an opera, they think of a big fat lady singing.

“This is not so bad,” he said. “It’s in English, and easy to understand,” he said.

Peter VanDeGraaff said intermezzo’s are fun.

“We have performed these for people in kindergarten all they way up to the old,” he said. “Intermezzo’s are a great way to get introduced to operas.”

Peter VanDeGraff said intermezzos were popular forms of entertainment that began in the 17th Century.

“It had influential factors on play style,” he said.

Peter VanDeGraaff said intermezzos were comic relief for the audience when it came to serious plays.

“It’s like watching the Super Bowl for the commercials,” he said.

Peter VanDeGraaff and Kathleen VanDeGraaff discovered the art form of intermezzos in college.

“We took trips to Europe to find the source,” he said.

Samantha Sauer, a sophomore history major said she thought the play was funny.

“I am glad that I got a chance to see it,” she said.

Sauer said it was a good opportunity to see a play live on campus.

“You can you-tube this but it wouldn’t be the same,” she said.

During the play, the character Barlocco realizes that it is love he truly feels for Sofia despite his wealth.

“Bows and arrows or bullets couldn’t harm me because her (Sofia) beauty charms me,” sang Barlocco. “My heart sounds like a trumpet.”

In the end, Sofia and Barlocco have found true love in each other.

“All yours, all yours,” sang Sofia and Barlocco. “Dearest, I’m all yours.”

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

Kathleen VanDeGraaff sings during a Comic Intermezzo opera ‘The Clever Woman and Foolish Man’ as Peter VanDeGraaff acts out his part behind her on Wednesday evening in the Grand Ballroom of the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union. (Karolina Strack/The

(more…)