On Saturday, October 3, 2026, at 7:30 pm, the Lowell Chamber Orchestra (LCO) will perform a scene showcase of the opera Seven Rabbits on a Pole, at the Arlington High School, 869 Mass Ave, Arlington, MA.
Music Director Orlando Cela will lead the musicians of the orchestra, along with a cast of six vocalists, in performing selected scenes from the opera. This special presentation will feature a workshop format, with the composer and librettist speaking about the story and the process of creating an opera from a play.
Seven Rabbits on a Poleis an opera by composerPasquale Tassone, and librettistElizabeth Searle, based on the play byJohn C. Picardi. Set in rural America during the early twentieth century, the work tells the story of an Italian immigrant family striving to build a better life amid economic hardship, social prejudice, and the challenges of assimilation. At its center is a dedicated farmer whose dreams of prosperity are tested by forces beyond his control, forcing him and his family to confront questions of identity, belonging, resilience, and sacrifice. The opera's evocative title serves as a powerful symbol of both survival and the difficult realities faced by generations of immigrants seeking opportunity in a new land.
Now in its eighth season, the Lowell Chamber Orchestra has presented concerts that encompass established orchestral repertoire as well as multimedia works, stage works, lecture-presentations, and chamber music. As part of its mission of promoting, preserving, and educating, the repertoire include works from the Baroque to current commissions. The LCO provides the Lowell and greater Boston areas with an ensemble that provides music at a very high level, entirely free to the general population.
This performance venue being in Arlington has special meaning, as librettist Elizabeth Searle and conductor Orlando Cela are both current Arlington residents, and composer Pasquale Tassone lived in Arlington for many years while working as the director of the Music and Arts Program at Arlington High School.
Venue is fully accessible. Admission is free and open to the public; donations gratefully accepted at the door or online. Please visit https://lowellchamberorchestra.org for more information.