POTSDAM — The award-winning Crane Opera Ensemble from SUNY Potsdam's Crane School of Music is set to bring a fairy tale to life, with its upcoming production of Jonathan Dove's opera, "The Enchanted Pig."

The Crane Opera Ensemble will present the opera in the Sara M. Snell Music Theater on:

• Thursday, March 30 at 7:30 p.m.

• Friday, March 31 at 7:30 p.m.

• Saturday, April 1 at 7:30 p.m.

• Sunday, April 2 at 3 p.m.

This charming 2006 opera, with music by Jonathan Dove and libretto by Alasdair Middleton, is based on Romanian and Norwegian fairy tales. It tells the story of the King of the North, who had a magic spell placed on him. Against his will, he changes into a pig during the day, only regaining human form at night. After marrying a neighboring ruler's daughter, the pig tells her that through "love, patience and trust" she can break the spell forever. And as we discover, she is willing to travel to the ends of the earth to make it happen!

"We have had so much fun putting this production together. Middleton's libretto is full of wit and humor, and Dove's music is perfectly eclectic. There are moments of true operatic drama, moments straight out of musical theatre, and everything in between. There is something for everyone in this show," said music director Brock Tjosvold, an assistant professor of vocal coaching and accompanying at Crane.

"Make no mistake, while the opera may be based on a fairy tale, the piece makes very serious musical demands on its singers. Complex musical notation, a variety of vocal styles (it ranges from traditionally operatic singing to musical comedy routines) and intricate ensemble numbers make for a score rich in wonderfully inventive tonal harmonies, both for the singers and the chamber orchestra," said stage director and Crane opera instructor Michael Scarola. "Then there are the technical aspects of the show. The stage directions include things like 'North Wind and Flora take to the air.' And 'In the night sky a bed with Pig on it.' And my personal favorite, 'Flora climbs the Milky Way.' It became apparent to me fairly quickly that I was going to have to think out of the box to find a way to create magic that would honor these stage directions, but do it with what was available to us in the intimate Snell Music Theater."

The final dress rehearsal will be attended by visiting local middle and high school students on Wednesday, March 29.

This original production is suitable for guests aged 12 and older, due to the mention of war and weapons. Parents are advised to use their discretion.

Tickets for "The Enchanted Pig" are $15 for the general public and $10 for students, senior citizens and youth. To purchase tickets, contact the Community Performance Series Box Office, located in the lobby of SUNY Potsdam's Performing Arts Center, by calling 315-267-2277 or by visiting www.cpspotsdam.org.

Tickets will also be available at the door, one hour prior to all performances.