by Dr. James Baumlin 

The Roaring Twenties—21st century style—is now upon us. What better place for a Soirée than the Kentwood Crystal Room, dancehall site of Springfield’s first radio broadcasts? The MSU Opera Theater will be turning the clock back, turning the Crystal Room into a speakeasy for its March 6 Missouri premiere of the modern opera, “Ghosts of Gatsby.” Supported by MSU Libraries, the Opera Theater is pulling out the stops for this fundraiser: salon music and hors d’oeuvres at 6:30, an elegant plated supper at 7:00 p.m., the opera at 7:30, and a silent auction at 8:30. There will be a cash bar—Prohibition having been repealed—and other sorts of refined entertainment.

Get your tickets and get dressed up in period costume: prizes will be awarded to the “Best-Dressed Gatsby and Daisy.” The silent auction will be featuring some handsome high-class items, including autographed books and fine art prints by local authors and artists. Let’s ring in the new Roaring Twenties in true Gatsby style! Tickets are $75 a plate, with proceeds benefiting MSU Opera Theater. Tables with seating for seven can be purchased for $515. For tickets and information, contact the MSU Department of Music.

At 7:00 p.m. on March 5, MSU students are invited to the Crystal Room for a free dress performance.

An event like “Ghosts of Gatsby” brings the campus and community together in celebration of the arts. The MSU Opera Theatre (under the direction of Ann Marie Daehn) thanks Dean of MSU Libraries Thomas A. Peters for underwriting the evening’s food entertainments. Students from Dr. J. Baumlin’s English courses are helping run the silent auction, to which the MSU Bookstore and faculty from Art and Design, English, Communication, and Biology have made donations. Music, food, light spirits, costume contests, auctioned artworks: what’s not to love about the March 6 Soirée? Do come!

For more information, please see the calendar entry.