Students in the Department of Music will perform ‘The Bartered Bride’ at 7:30 p.m. January 20 and 3 pm. January 22 in the Donald C. Bedell Performance Hall.

‘The Bartered Bride’ is a comedic opera by Czechoslovakian composer Bedrich Smetana, split into three acts which ultimately tell the story of a Czechoslovakian family that pre-arranges a young woman’s marriage all because of her father’s debt with a marriage broker.

Chris Goeke, professor of music in the Department of Music said that ‘The Bartered Bride’ is a fun show with great music written by Smetana.

“He[Smetana] was a little ahead of his time in terms of writing opera for Czechoslovakia,” Goeke said. “He’s credited with being the first composer to actually give opera in Czechoslovakia its own flavor and its own style,”

Czech music is uniquely different from much of today’s current music. Goeke said that he thinks the music is different because of its unusual rhythms and melodies.

"They don’t do what you think they’re going to do,” Goeke said. “When you think there’s going to a be stress or an accent it’s not there and then it comes on usually a beat that’s weak. And so it kind of keeps you guessing about where the rhythms are."

Goeke also said that Smetana’s music differed hugely from his musical peers, such as Beethoven and Mozart.

“It’s just a little bit different with the harmonies, a little more chromantic,” Goeke said.

Brittany Moleski, junior who plays the role of Marenka said her character is similar to herself because of her strong sense of independence.

“She knows what she wants and she’s determined to get what she wants, I’m definitely like that,” Moleski said. “She understands the traditional values of the village but she also knows what is in her heart is important."

Auditions for ‘The Bartered Bride’ began the first week of classes in the fall semester. After auditions, the cast was chosen immediately with music rehearsals starting quickly thereafter.

“When the music is pretty well learned we start working on the staging and the dance,” Goeke said. “It’s a long process, but I like it being spread out because that gives the students a chance to assimilate the music better because it’s so challenging, and they have to really develop their singing technique."

Moleski said students should go see ‘The Bartered Bride' because it eliminates the stereotype of operas being sophisticated and over-dramatic.

“It’s not a scary thing, it can be fun and lighthearted as well,” Moleski said.

Tickets for the ‘Bartered Bride’ are $3 for students with a Southeast i.d, and $18 to the public.

Tickets for the ‘Bartered can be purchase at the River Campus Box Office from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.,Monday through Friday.