Opera: Dialogues of the Carmelites

Francis Poulenc's DIALOGUES OF THE CARMELITES tells the story of a young woman's struggle to find her place among an order of Carmelite nuns. But it's clear from the beginning that this ain't The Sound of Music. Based on the Georges Bernanos noir screenplay and the Gertrude von Le Fort novel The Last to the Scaffold, the story takes place during the French Revolution and explores issues of class and martyrdom, all with the specter of the guillotine looming in the background. Expect to see nuns in a whole new light after the Georgia State University Opera Theatre presents this drama. $25-$51. March 27, 8 p.m.; March 29, 3 p.m. Rialto Center for the Arts, 80 Forsyth St. 404-413-9849. www.rialtocenter.org.