Twenty-two-year-old Albert Herring lives with an overbearing mother in a small town where everyone knows each other’s business. Sound familiar? Albert Herring isn’t a student on campus, but the main character in this year’s on-campus opera “Albert Herring.”

In the opera, Albert is selected as the small town’s first ever May King. But Albert goes on to shock the town and break people’s expectations.

Director Mitra Sadeghpour said she selected “Albert Herring” because of the opera’s accessibility. A comedy sung in English, Sadeghpour said the opera’s content is something she thinks everyone, on some level, has experienced.

The opera also happens to be one of Sadeghpour’s favorites.

“If you’re from a small town . you recognize all the characters,” she said, referring to characters in the opera who are self-designated dignitaries and busybodies. “The characters are so true to life.

“He basically decides to become his own person,” she said. “It’s a story we all know and we’ve all lived through . when we finally cut the apron strings and finally become adults.”

Senior Kevin Newell, cast as Albert, said being from a small town and graduating in a class of 50 people, allows him to completely relate to Albert “(getting) out from everyone’s watchful eye.”

The music, however, is very challenging and students have been working on the opera since October, Sadeghpour said.

“This is not a show undergrads do often,” she said.

Newell said “Albert Herring” is very different than the two other operas he has been in on campus because it is contemporary, deeper, and has more complex composition and subject matter. Newell said learning the melodies was a challenge because they are different than what he’s accustomed to hearing.

“It’s not your standard Western melody,” he said.

Sadeghpour said when people think of opera, they usually think of Italian opera with stories that don’t make sense and music they can’t understand. But “Albert Herring” is different because it is a good story that makes sense and that people can approach, even if they think they might not like opera.

“If people have never seen an opera before, this is the perfect first opera,” she said.

The opera opened last week and continues through Sunday, with performances at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, with a 1:30 p.m. Sunday matinee. So far the show has been a success, receiving a standing ovation its second night.

Sadeghpour said one of her favorite pieces of feedback is from people who didn’t think they would like opera who ended up liking “Albert Herring.”

Newell agreed. “A lot of people have said they’re going to come again.”

What: “Albert Herring”
When: 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, and 1:30 p.m. Sunday
Tickets: $3 for students, available at the Service Center and at the door
Why: “You can go to another opera for $100 or you can go to this one for $3,” Director Mitra Sadeghpour said.