RICHARDSON, Texas (Oct. 5, 2005) — Voice students from The University of Texas at Dallas (UTD) and the UTD Chamber Singers will perform La Vie Bohème, featuring the legendary Café Momus scene from La Bohème, and a concert medley from Rent the Musical on Oct. 21 and 22 at 8 p.m. in the University Theatre on campus. Kathryn Evans, associate dean for the arts, will direct the free performance, with stage direction provided by faculty member Mary Medrick.

UTD students performing in the production will be Evana Chen (Mimi), Mariusz Galczynski (Rodolfo), Dane Acree (Schaunard), Nimesh Parikh (Colline), Casey Bennett (Marcello) and M. Blue Livesay III (Alcindoro). Special guest artist Jacquelyn Lengfelder will perform the role of Musetta. The UTD Chamber Singers will comprise the chorus.

Rent the Musical , soon to become a major motion picture, was written by Jonathan Larson and draws heavily on La Bohème by Giacomo Puccini. The juxtaposition of songs from Rent the Musical and Act II of La Bohème in the evening’s performance demonstrates the relationship between the two acclaimed works. La Bohème has been successful for more than 100 years and remains one of Puccini’s most popular operas. Rent the Musical has won numerous awards, including four 1996 Tony Awards, the 1996 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, three Obie Awards, six Drama Desk Awards and Best Musical Awards from the New York Drama Critics Circle and the Outer Critics Circle (Off-Broadway).

More information about the performance can be found at http://ah.utdallas.edu/season0506/labohemerent.htm.

For information about the many musical, arts, theatre, dance and other performances and exhibitions held throughout the year at UTD, please call 972-UTD-ARTS (972-883-2787), e-mail utdarts@utdallas.edu or visit the School of Arts and Humanities’ Web site at http://ah.utdallas.edu/. Persons with disabilities needing special accommodations may call 972-883-2982, Texas Relay Operator: 1-800-RELAYVV.

About UTD

The University of Texas at Dallas, located at the convergence of Richardson, Plano and Dallas in the heart of the complex of major multinational technology corporations known as the Telecom Corridor®, enrolls more than 14,000 students. The school’s freshman class traditionally stands at the forefront of Texas state universities in terms of average SAT scores. The university offers a broad assortment of bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs. For additional information about UTD, please visit the university’s website at www.utdallas.edu.