Two familiar faces to theatergoers are the laughing and crying masks of Thalia, the muse of comedy, and Melpomene, the muse of tragedy.

Those two faces summed up the double bill of one-act Italian operas performed last weekend by the Wichita State Schools of Music and Performing Arts, directed by associate professor Marie Allyn King.

The evening began with Gaetano Donizetti’s “Il campanello di notte” (“The Bell in the Night”), a comedy about a newly married couple (Andrew Simpson and Abigal Triemer) being constantly interrupted by a former lover (Chy Billings), who tries to win back the bride’s affection before the newleyweds’ love is consummated.

Billings carried the show’s comedic moments—his character dons various disguises, ranging from a vain actor losing his voice to a highly demanding old woman, which generated many laughs from the audience.

Rebecca Maholland’s 19th century costume designs were exceptional, not just for the principal characters, but also for the supporting and background characters who helped to sell the idea of this period piece.

The second show began with three crosses being lowered from the ceiling. John Cleese’s “And now for something completely different” phrase seemed quite appropriate for this occasion.

The show was Giacomo Puccini’s “Suor Angelica” (“Sister Angelica”), a drama referring to a former noblewoman (Kendra Rios), who seeks atonement by living the life of a nun.

The plot turns dark when Sister Angelica receives word that her illegitimate son has died and she soon contemplates suicide, without realizing that it is also a sin.

When she finally succumbs to death, a striking vision of what appears to be the Virgin Mary and her son appears.

This was achieved through lighting and the expressions on Rios’ face, rather than using actors or images to convey this image.

The set design was impressive, and featured a functional water fountain and pillars to give an expressionistic feeling when nuns gathered behind them.

Associate professor and Orchestra Director Mark Laycock excelled by directing a haunting score that complemented the set design in conveying that slightly scary feeling of being in a church.

As represented by the masks, great theater conveys either great comedy or tragedy. For the evening, it felt special to have a dose of fine examples of both.