Music at Butler: Butler Opera Theatre presents Scenes and Arias

Butler Opera Theatre is bringing Scenes and Arias to the Howard L. Schrott Center for the Arts on Friday, October 30 and Saturday, October 31, with both performances starting at 7:30 PM. It's a student production, and the program pulls from the traditional operatic canon, with Mozart, Rossini and Donizetti leading the way.

The format is a mix: fully staged scenes alternate with individual arias. The scenes are the theatrical part of the evening, and they come with costumes, lighting and direction, which pushes the whole thing past a standard concert and closer to a full operatic experience. Between those, the arias stand on their own as solo pieces, so you get both the dramatic storytelling and the focused singing in one night. It's a good way to see a few different composers back-to-back without having to commit to a full three-hour opera.

Because it's a student production, you're seeing the Butler Opera Theatre students on stage rather than a professional company. That's part of the draw—watching them work through this material in a live setting. The two nights are the same program, so if you can't make Friday, Saturday is an option.

Both performances are free and open to the public, and you don't need a ticket to get in. If you can't make it to the Schrott Center in person, there's a live stream available. The venue is at 610 W 46th St in Butler-Tarkington, Indianapolis, and both nights start at 7:30 PM.