The Lies We Tell

Do you know studies have shown that Australians, on average, lie 3 times a day?; that most people think that lying, in certain circumstances, is okay – including lying to your children?  These human traits will be explored through songs, old and new, as WKU’s Department of Music’s Center Stage Series presents Wayne Pope, baritone, and Julie Pride, piano in The Lies We Tell. 

“Please understand; these are not personal lies that Julie and I have told!  But lies that are central to human nature.”  Deception, for instance:   Pride challenged Pope to come up with a few instances of deception in opera.  “Piece of cake.” says Pope with a hearty grin.  “Rarely is anyone who they’re supposed to be in opera.  The characters are “positioning” (aka lying) to gain love, power or something simple like achieving immortality.” 

But deception (lying) is not indigenous only to opera.  The program contains songs of several different styles including musical theater, jazz and cabaret.  The duo will begin with The Dodger, which is an old American song arranged by American composer, Aaron Copland.  The song asserts that the candidate, preacher and lover are all dodgers.  (Again with the lying!)  So they’ve found pieces about each one to illuminate the point.  “By the way, the song also declares that we’re all dodgin’ our way through the world.” says Pope.  “And that’s what we’ve found to be fun and interesting.  We lie for many reasons – for love, to save someone from embarrassment, to protect our children.  I mean; no ones’ face has ever really frozen ‘that way’, right?”, laughs Pride.  The titles of the songs alone present a wonderful thesis.  “Do I Love You More Than a Day?  “How does one truthfully answer that?!?” asks Pope.  Other titles include:  At the Last Lousy Moments of Love; Good Thing She Can’t Read My Mind; and the all encompassing, A Blizzard of Lies by jazz pianist and composer Dave Frishberg.

Pope and Pride, who have taken their programs on the road around Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee, North Carolina and recently to New Orleans where they performed in the award winning Trinity Artist Series, enjoy the challenge and artistic development of programming and performing.  Pope is Associate Professor of Music and Director of Opera Theatre at WKU.  Pride, an active freelance pianist, is on staff in the Department of Theatre and Dance where she accompanies the ballet studio and is currently assisting Pope with the Opera Theatre’s spring program.  So what’s in store for this year’s program The Lies We Tell?  “Well, as always, we hope to make you laugh, to cry, to think, to be entertained, and to enjoy a nice hour of music.” says Pride.  “We won’t lie about it.  It’s gonna be good.” adds Pope.

The event takes place at 3pm on March 27, 2011 in the Ivan Wilson Fine Arts Center Recital Hall on Western’s campus.  The event is free and open to the public.