2014–15 Lectures and Community Engagement
About the Metropolitan Opera Guild The Metropolitan Opera Guild serves the opera-loving community through arts and music education, special events, custom travel packages, the publication of Opera News magazine, and other programs in support of education and audience cultivation for this beloved art form. Arts education is crucial to every child’s development and provides lifelong engagement, yet many schools lack the resources to provide sufficient instruction. The Metropolitan Opera Guild works to fill this gap by providing high-quality arts education that uses opera in connection with existing school curriculum. These programs are supported by the generosity of government agencies, private foundations, and individuals. For more information on these opera-based educational programs for schools, please call 212.769.7023. More information on the Guild and its activities can be found online at metguild.org. Information and archives of Opera News can be found online at operanews.com.
How to Use This Booklet This brochure presents the 2014–15 season of Lectures and Community Programs grouped into thematic sections, including programs that emphasize specific Met performances and productions, courses on opera and the art form’s history and culture, and editorial insights and interviews presented by our colleagues at Opera News. Our courses of study are arranged chronologically and learners of all levels are welcome. To place an order, please call the Guild’s ticketing line at 212.769.7028 (Mon–Fri 10:00 am – 4:00 pm).
COVER: Eli¯ na Garancˇ a in CArmen Photo: Ken Howard / Metropolitan opera
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2014–15 Lectures and Community Engagement
Welcome At the Metropolitan Oper a Guild, we believe that the beauty of opera goes well beyond the stage. Since 1935, the Guild has been committed to presenting programs aimed at engaging our community’s passion for the lyric arts both inside and outside of the opera house. Our educational and community programs reach more than 500,000 young people and adults annually, helping to foster a love of opera and a lifetime involvement with the musical arts. With pre-performance lectures, artist interviews, seminars, and more, we provide relevant, engaging, and enriching experiences to a community of all ages.
We are proud to present yet another season of opportunities to immerse yourself in this exciting art form. Come explore the world of opera—on stage and behind the scenes—through our education programs. Whether your enthusiasm for opera is lifelong or newly formed, I am certain that you will find our programs enjoyable and enlightening. We are thrilled to have you join us for another unforgettable journey into all that opera has to offer.
Sincerely,
Richard J. Miller, Jr. President
Table of Contents
4 Presenters, Panelists, Artists, and Staff
5 Summer HD Festival Pre-Screening Talks
6 Insights on the 2014–15 Metropolitan Opera Season
The Met: Live in HD MetTalks: New Production Panel Discussions Opera Outlooks: Pre-Performance Lectures
12 Opera News Presents The Singers’ Studio: Casual Conversations
14 Masterly Singing: Master Classes and Workshops
16 Musical Chairs: Conversations on a Life in Music
18 Score-Desk Tickets
19 Backstage Tours
22 Guild Membership and Ordering Information
24 Courses of Study
Opera Boot Camp: Fall and Spring Saturday Morning Score Readers: Crash Courses Verdi Baritones A Guide to 20th-Century Opera Listening The Evolution of French Vocal Writing Prima Donnas: The Great Women of Opera Inside Look: Interviews with Metropolitan Opera Artisans and Staff
35 Biographies of Lecturers, Presenters, and Teachers
39 Calendar of Events
44 Metropolitan Opera Guild Board of Directors
45 Map of Event Locations
Presenters, Panelists, Artists, and Staff Stuart Holt
Paul Gruber
John J. H. Muller
Director of School Programs & Community Engagement
Executive Director, Program Development
Professor of Music History and Graduate Studies
The Metropolitan Opera Guild
The Metropolitan Opera Guild
The Juilliard School
Thomas Allen
Louise T. Guinther
Steven Osgood
Baritone
Senior Editor
Conductor
Opera News
Naomi Barrettara Program Development Consultant The Metropolitan Opera Guild
Nimet Habachy Lecturer, Writer, and Broadcaster
Harlow Robinson, Ph.D. Matthews Distinguished University Professor Northeastern University
William Berger
Kyle Homewood
Author, Radio Host, and Commentator
The Metropolitan Opera Guild
James Conlon
Simon Keenlyside
Community Engagement Fellow
W. Anthony Sheppard, Ph.D. Professor and Chair, Music
Conductor Music Director
Baritone
Los Angeles Opera
Jeffrey Langford, Ph.D.
Music Director The Ravinia Festival
Elspeth Davis
Professor and Chair, Music History Assistant Dean of Doctoral Students
Community Engagement Coordinator
Manhattan School of Music
The Metropolitan Opera Guild
Jay Lesenger
Ira Siff Director, Vocal Coach, and Broadcaster
Diana Soviero Soprano
Rebecca Sullivan Community Engagement Assistant
Director General/Artistic Director
The Metropolitan Opera Guild
Tenor
Chautauqua Opera
Lacey Upton
F. Paul Driscoll
Željko Lučić
Plácido Domingo
Editor-in-Chief
Baritone
Opera News
Jane Eaglen Soprano
Jane Marsh Soprano Artistic and Program Consultant The Metropolitan Opera Guild
Lauren Flanigan Soprano
Peter Gelb General Manager The Metropolitan Opera
Denyce Graves Mezzo-soprano
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Williams College
Community Engagement Manager The Metropolitan Opera Guild
Dona D. Vaughn Stage Director Artistic Director of Opera Programs Manhattan School of Music
Artistic Director
Desirée Mays Author and Lecturer
Angela Meade Soprano
PORTopera
Adam Wasserman Online Editor Opera News
Summer HD Festival Pre-Screening Talks This series presents ten lectures on ten consecutive days, coinciding with the Met’s Summer HD Festival, which offers free open-air screenings of Live in HD productions on Lincoln Center Plaza. All pre-screening talks are held at the Opera Learning Center, on the 6th floor of the Samuel B. and David Rose Building on 65th Street between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue, from 5:30 to 6:30PM. Tickets are $12 including a reserved seat to the evening’s HD screening. In case of changes to the schedule or inclement weather, lecture dates will follow Met screening dates. For up-to-date information, visit metguild.org. If a screening is canceled due to weather conditions, tickets will be refunded. Puccini
La Bohème Sat Aug 23 8PM
Verdi
Falstaff Wed Aug 27 8PM
Massenet
Werther Sun Aug 31 8PM
Ranzani; Opolais, Phillips, Grigolo, Cavalletti, Carfizzi, Gradus, Maxwell
Levine; Oropesa, Meade, Blythe, Johnson Cano, Fanale, Maestri, Vassallo
Altinoglu; Oropesa, Koch, Kaufmann, Bižić, Summers
2 hours approx.
2 hours approx.
Borodin
Prince Igor
Dvorˇ Ák
Rusalka
Eugene Onegin
Sun Aug 24 7:15PM
Thu Aug 28 7:45PM
Gergiev; Netrebko, Volkova, Beczala, Kwiecien, Tanovitski
2 hour 15 minutes approx.
Tchaikovsky
Noseda; Dyka, Rachvelishvili, Semishkur, Abdrazakov, Petrenko, Kocán
Nézet-Séguin; Fleming, Magee, Zajick, Beczala, Relyea
Mon Sep 1 7:45PM
2 hour 40 minutes approx.
2 hours 40 minutes approx.
3 hours 10 minutes approx. Donizetti
Shostakovich
The Nose
L’Elisir d’Amore Fri Aug 29 8PM
Mon Aug 25 8PM
Smelkov; Popov, Lewis, Szot
Benini; Netrebko, Polenzani, Kwiecien, Maestri
2 hours approx.
2 hours approx.
Verdi
Simon Boccanegra Tue Aug 26 8PM
Donizetti
Don Pasquale Sat Aug 30 8PM
Levine; Pieczonka, Giordani, Domingo, Morris
Levine; Netrebko, Polenzani, Kwiecien, Del Carlo
2 hours 20 minutes approx.
2 hours 10 minutes approx.
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The Met: Live in HD 2014–15 Season The Met’s Peabody and Emmy Award-winning series of live performance transmissions to movie theaters around the world continues for its ninth season, featuring ten live broadcasts. Live in HD productions are seen on 2,000 screens in 67 countries. Don’t miss the chance to experience the Met live at your local movie theater! For more information, visit metopera.org/HDlive. Verdi
Lehár
Macbeth
The Merry Widow
Saturday, October 11, 2014 12:55 pm Eastern Time
Saturday, January 17, 2015 12:55 pm Eastern Time
Mozart
Offenbach
Le Nozze di Figaro
Les Contes d’Hoffmann
Saturday, October 18, 2014 12:55 pm Eastern Time
Saturday, January 31, 2015 12:55 pm Eastern Time
Bizet
Tchaikovsky
Carmen
Iolanta
Saturday, November 1, 2014 12:55 pm Eastern Time
Bluebeard’s Castle
Rossini
Il Barbiere di Siviglia Saturday, November 22, 2014 12:55 pm Eastern Time Wagner
Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg Saturday, December 13, 2014 12 pm Eastern Time
Bartók
Saturday, February 14, 2015 12:30 pm Eastern Time Rossini
La Donna del Lago Saturday, March 14, 2015 12:55 pm Eastern Time Mascagni
Cavalleria Rusticana Leoncavallo
Pagliacci Saturday, April 25, 2015 12:30 pm Eastern Time The Met: Live in HD series is made possible by a generous grant from its founding sponsor, The Neubauer Family Foundation. Global corporate sponsorship of The Met: Live in HD is provided by Bloomberg. The HD Broadcasts are supported by Toll Brothers, America’s luxury home builder.™ 6
MetTalks New Productions of the 2014–15 Season Directors and stars of the Met’s 2014–15 new productions discuss the challenges and rewards of bringing their visions to the stage. All events are held at the Metropolitan Opera House, unless otherwise noted. $25 general public / $20 Met Subscribers / $15 Guild Members and students (Discounts available for advance sale only.)
Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro tue sep 16 7PM
Lehár’s Merry Widow wed dec 10 5:30PM
The following MetTalks will be held at the Bruno Walter Auditorium and are available to members of the Metropolitan Opera Patron Program only. Please call 212.870.4502 to reserve your tickets.
Adams’s The Death of Klinghoffer (Met Premiere) WED OCT 15 6PM Bruno Walter Auditorium
Tchaikovsky’s Iolanta (Met Premiere) & Bartók’s Bluebeard’s Castle WED JAN 21 6PM Bruno Walter Auditorium
Rossini’s La Donna del Lago (Met Premiere) wed feb 11 6PM Bruno Walter Auditorium
Mascagni’s Cavalleria Rusticana & Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci WED APR 8 6PM Bruno Walter Auditorium
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Opera Outlooks Pre-Performance Talks
Take a closer look at these operas in the Met’s 2014–15 season. All lectures are held at the Opera Learning Center, on the 6th floor of the Samuel B. and David Rose Building on 65th Street between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue. Tickets $18 general public in advance / $16 Guild Members / $14 students Study Days $20 general public per session / $18 Guild Members and students per session
Temptation and Truth: Le Nozze di Figaro THU OCT 2 6–7PM Jay Lesenger
Mozart’s enduring masterpiece of love and marriage opens the Met season, in a new production by Richard Eyre that sets the action in an 18th-century manor house in Seville during the 1930s. Jay Lesenger explores this beloved work and its ability to transcend both time and locale.
Beaumarchais and Opera: A Study Day SUN OCT 5 11AM–12:30PM 2PM–3:30PM Harlow Robinson
French playwright Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais scandalized the censors and delighted the public with his three Figaro plays. They also inspired numerous operatic adaptations, including two pillars of the repertory—Il Barbiere di Siviglia and Le Nozze di Figaro. Dr. Harlow Robinson devotes this Study Day’s morning session to the literary, political, and cultural context of the plays and spends the afternoon comparing the operas and their source material.
Verdi and Shakespeare: The Music of Macbeth WED OCT 8 6–7PM Jane Marsh
One of Shakespeare’s greatest tragedies is transformed into an equally dramatic opera in Verdi’s early masterwork. Jane Marsh examines the technical and musical demands of the opera’s two leading roles: the title hero and his acutely ambitious wife.
Masonic Ideals: Die Zauberflöte TUE OCT 21 6–7PM Nimet Habachy
Mozart’s final work to reach the stage was an immense success following its 1791 premiere and has remained a fixture of the repertoire ever since. Join Nimet Habachy as she takes a closer look at one of opera’s greatest classics.
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oper a outlooks (continued)
Exploring Minimalism: The Death of Klinghoffer SAT NOV 1 6–7PM W. Anthony Sheppard
Inspired by true events, John Adams’s The Death of Klinghoffer dramatizes the 1985 hijacking of the Italian cruise ship Achille Lauro by the Palestinian Liberation Front and the killing of passenger Leon Klinghoffer, an American Jew. Its 1991 premiere, just a few years after the tragic incident, overwhelmed audiences. Dr. W. Anthony Sheppard explores the musical elements of this important work.
The Subversive Power of Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk MON NOV 10 6–7PM Harlow Robinson
Shostakovich’s searing opera tells the story of a bored Russian merchant’s wife whose passion for one of her husband’s serfs leads to murder. After initial popular success, Lady Macbeth was banned by the Communist Party for its unconventional musical language and frank treatment of sexuality. Dr. Harlow Robinson discusses the infamous history and inventive music of one of the greatest Russian operas.
A Contest for Love and Art: Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg TUE DEC 9 4:30–5:30PM John J. H. Muller
Love and art meet in Wagner’s masterful epic comedy, set against the background of 16th-century Nürnberg. Wagner explores the mysteries of the creative process, as the master Hans Sachs helps the diamond-in-the-rough knight Walther von Stolzing triumph in a song contest to win the hand of his love. Join John J. H. Muller as he delves into the opera’s history and examines the very human characters brought to life by Wagner’s music.
Marrying Rich: The Merry Widow TUE JAN 13 6–7PM Jay Lesenger
The Merry Widow is operetta at its finest—with a sumptuous score, a charming romance full of misunderstandings and intrigue, and a lavish, fantasy-rich setting. Jay Lesenger discovers the joy, humor, and emotional heart of the piece, which returns to the Met this season in a star-studded new production.
Iolanta / Bluebeard’s Castle Study Day SAT JAN 24 11AM–12:30PM 2PM–3:30PM Jane Marsh
In Part I of this two-session seminar, Jane Marsh will examine Tchaikovsky’s final opera, Iolanta, a lyrical fairy tale about a blind princess. The afternoon session will explore the brilliance and brutality of Bartók’s psychological thriller Bluebeard’s Castle. Both works are seen this season at the Met as a double bill in new productions.
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Unlucky in Love: Les Contes d’Hoffmann THU FEB 5 6–7PM Naomi Barrettara
Jacques Offenbach died before completing the score of this melodic masterpiece about a tortured poet and his love stories that all go tragically wrong. Lecturer Naomi Barrettara discusses the rich dramatic source material as well as the many musical and thematic interpretations of the opera following Offenbach’s death.
A Shimmering La Donna del Lago TUE MAR 3 6–7PM Desirée Mays
Based on a poem by Sir Walter Scott, Rossini’s opera tells the story of the “Lady of the Lake” who inspires love and peace in the warring 15th-century Scottish highlands. Desirée Mays discusses the development of the composer’s musical style in this bel canto gem and introduces director Paul Curran’s new Met production, a beautiful and atmospheric reimagining of this rarely-seen work.
Seduction and Obsession in Carmen WED MAR 4 6–7PM Desirée Mays
Considered scandalous at the time of its premiere, Bizet’s opera of the fiery gypsy and her ill-fated lover continues to fascinate. Join Desirée Mays as she explores Pushkin’s poem The Gypsies, which inspired numerous operatic adaptations, Prosper Mérimée’s novella Carmen, the basis for Bizet’s work, and select stage productions that have made this one of the most popular operas of all time.
Love vs. Money: The Story of Manon TUE MAR 17 6–7PM Jeffrey Lang ford
Massenet’s adaptation of Abbé Prévost’s 1731 novel L’Histoire du Chevalier des Grieux et de Manon Lescaut tells the tragic story of a young girl who longs for love but is corrupted by wealth and luxury. Join Dr. Jeffrey Langford as he considers this enduring tale of love, loss, and greed.
The Voices of Ernani THU MAR 26 6–7PM Naomi Barrettara
Verdi’s Ernani—based on a play by Victor Hugo that caused off-stage drama with its new Romantic aesthetic—brings together four characters and voice types that collide in a series of epic confrontations. Naomi Barrettara explores Verdi’s innovative compositional style and dramatic structure that made Ernani the most successful opera of the composer’s early career.
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oper a outlooks (continued)
Verdi’s Grand Opera: Don Carlo MON APR 6 5:30–6:30PM John J. H. Muller
The private and public lives of Verdi’s characters collide in this story of love and politics. Don Carlo is Verdi’s most ambitious work, drawing heavily upon the traditions of French grand opera. John J. H. Muller covers the history of this much-revised opera and explores the musical riches of Verdi’s sophisticated score.
The Power of Love: Aida MON APR 13 6–7PM Nimet Habachy
Both an intimate love story and the grandest of grand operas, Aida has remained a treasure of the repertory since its 1871 premiere in Cairo. Set in ancient Egypt, it has also played a part in the country’s history, past and present. Egyptian-born Nimet Habachy will explore the role of this revolutionary opera in the musical and political forum.
Verismo Duo: Cavalleria Rusticana / Pagliacci TUE APR 14 6–7PM William Berger
The Cav/Pag double bill is an operatic classic that takes on themes of love, adultery, and revenge while plumbing the tragic depths of its characters in true verismo style. Join us as William Berger examines the musical and thematic elements of both operas, exploring not only what makes them complementary but also what sets the two apart.
A Love Denied: Un Ballo in Maschera TUE APR 28 6–7PM Jeffrey Lang ford
Forbidden love lies at the heart of Verdi’s “Masked Ball,” a place where passion, deception, and honor collide in a dramatic climax. Dr. Jeffrey Langford brings his expertise of Italian and Romantic opera to an exploration of Verdi’s lush musical landscape and the censorship that shaped the opera’s creation.
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The Singers’ Studio Casual Conversations In this intimate interview series, some of today’s greatest opera stars chat with editors of Opera News. Don’t miss the chance to hear in-person previews of future Opera News online exclusives. Events are held at the Opera Learning Center, on the 6th floor of the Samuel B. and David Rose Building at Lincoln Center, unless otherwise noted. Tickets $25 general public / $22 Guild Members and students Tickets for Master Class and Conversation events on Jan 27 and Mar 29 $28 general public/$25 Guild Members and students
In Studio: Željko Lučić F. Paul Driscoll MON SEP 29 6–7PM
Acclaimed for his performances in the world’s leading opera houses, baritone Željko Lučić returns to the Met stage this season singing the title character of Verdi’s Macbeth. Opera News Editor-in-Chief F. Paul Driscoll speaks with the singer about his career.
In Studio: James Conlon F. Paul Driscoll tues OCT 28 6–7PM
Queens native James Conlon has conducted many of the world’s leading orchestras. He has served as music director of the Los Angeles Opera since 2006 and was a recipient of the 2005 Opera News Award. This season, he conducts Shostakovich’s Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk at the Met. Opera News Editor-in-Chief F. Paul Driscoll chats with the maestro about his experiences and current work.
A Master Class and Conversation with Thomas Allen Louise T. Guinther TUE JAN 27 6–7:30PM AT BRUNO WALTER AUDITORIUM
Renowned for his work on both the concert and operatic stage, Thomas Allen has been thrilling audiences for decades. For this event, he works with young singers in a master class, preceded by a discussion with Opera News Senior Editor Louise T. Guinther.
In Studio: Angela Meade F. Paul Driscoll TUE MAR 24 6–7PM
After an exciting Met season singing the title role of Norma and Alice Ford in Falstaff, Angela Meade returns to the company this year in Ernani. Opera News Editor-in-Chief F. Paul Driscoll sits down with the soprano to discuss her current and upcoming roles.
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Left: Sir Thomas Allen and Plácido Domingo Below: Željko Lučić, James Conlon, Angela Meade, and Simon Keenlyside
A Master Class and Conversation with Plácido Domingo F. Paul Driscoll SUN MAR 29 4–5:30PM AT BRUNO WALTER AUDITORIUM
One of the most celebrated figures of the opera world, Plácido Domingo continues to amaze audiences with his multifaceted five-decade career as a singer, conductor, and general director of the Los Angeles Opera. For this event, he joins in a discussion with Opera News Editor-in-Chief F. Paul Driscoll and leads young singers in a master class.
In Studio: Simon Keenlyside Adam Wasserman WED APR 8 6–7PM
Simon Keenlyside is one of the most sought-after singers in the world, known for his expressive performances in opera and in recital. He returns to the Met stage this season as Posa in Don Carlo. He joins Opera News Online Editor Adam Wasserman to discuss his celebrated career in music.
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Masterly Singing
Master Classes and Workshops These workshops and master classes explore the areas of preparation vital to the development of young performers, under the guidance of master teachers with diverse backgrounds in stage direction, vocal coaching, conducting, and operatic and theatrical performance. All events are held at the Opera Learning Center, on the 6th floor of the Samuel B. and David Rose Building at Lincoln Center. Tickets $25 general public / $22 Guild Members and students
Music of the Homeland: A Russian Master Class Jane Marsh SUN NOV 9 4:00–5:30PM
In the mid-19th century, Russian musical culture began a great transformation under the influence of The Five, a group of like-minded composers and thinkers dedicated to the development of a distinctly Russian style and sound of music. Jane Marsh explores the soundscape of Russian opera from Glinka to Shostakovich, tracing the early achievements of blending Russian folksong with Western influences to the daring experimentation of later composers. Featuring: Samantha Jeffreys, soprano; Hyo Na Kim, mezzo-soprano; Young Chul Park, tenor; Bretton Brown, pianist
Don Giovanni: Love is a Battlefield Dona D. Vaughn WED FEB 11 5:30–7:00PM
For this Valentine’s Day workshop, what operatic character could serve better to represent love, romance, and sex than Mozart’s Don Giovanni? Join Stage Director Dona D. Vaughn for an evening of exploration as we investigate the different female characters and personalities in the life of opera’s most famous seducer.
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You may also be interested in… 20th-Century Opera: A Culminating Master Class Steven Osgood TUE NOV 18 5:30–7PM
Part of the A Guide to 20th-Century Opera Listening series, page 30
A Master Class and Conversation with Thomas Allen Louise T. Guinther TUE JAN 27 6:00–7:30PM AT BRUNO WALTER AUDITORIUM
Part of the Singers’ Studio series, page 12
A Master Class and Conversation with Plácido Domingo F. Paul Driscoll SUN MAR 29 4:00–5:30PM AT BRUNO WALTER AUDITORIUM
Part of the Singers’ Studio series, page 13
plus: The Guild’s Programs for High School Singers The Met Opera Guild is also proud to offer the High School Opera Singers Intensive and the High School Vocalist Workshop series, two programs designed to inform and inspire developing young singers as they explore options for college or conservatory study and beyond. For more information, dates, and application forms, please email
[email protected] or call 212.769.7028 Mon–Fri 10 am–4 pm.
Soprano and Master Teacher Jane Marsh explores the idea of gesture with a young singer. Photo: Caroline Earp / Metropolitan Opera Guild
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Musical Chairs Conversations on a Life in Music In this popular series, the Guild’s Executive Director, Program Development, Paul Gruber, hosts conversations with four great singers—events that are sure to be equally entertaining and revealing. Each discussion will include photo reminiscences and rare video performance clips. Events are held at the Opera Learning Center, 6th floor of the Samuel B. and David Rose Building at Lincoln Center. Ticket Package $115 general public / $100 Guild Members and students Individual Tickets $25 general public / $22 Guild Members and students
Clockwise from top left: Denyce Graves, Lauren Flanigan, Diana Soviero, and Jane Eaglen
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Denyce Graves MON OCT 6 6–7:30PM
The acclaimed mezzo-soprano made her name with dramatic portrayals of SaintSaëns’s Dalila and Bizet’s Carmen, the role of her 1995 Met debut. Also a champion of new works, she has starred in a number of world premieres, including Richard Danielpour’s Margaret Garner, Douglas J. Cuomo’s Doubt, and Terence Blanchard’s Champion, while fostering a new generation of singers as a faculty member of the Peabody Conservatory.
Lauren Flanigan THU DEC 4 6–7:30PM
An audience favorite at New York City Opera for more than 20 years, she has developed a unique career that has spanned the operas of Mozart, Donizetti, and Verdi as well as works by a number of contemporary American composers. With public and critical acclaim for her portrayals in Jack Beeson’s Lizzie Borden, Marvin David Levy’s Mourning Becomes Electra, and the world premiere of Stephen Schwartz’s Séance on a Wet Afternoon, she has become the reigning diva of new American opera.
Met Stars in Hollywood MON FEB 9 6–7:30PM
Some of the greatest Met stars found their way to Hollywood, lending their talents to the silver screen. Paul Gruber will examine this phenomenon, playing clips of film appearances by Lily Pons, Grace Moore, Lawrence Tibbett, Lauritz Melchior, Risë Stevens, Robert Merrill, Ezio Pinza, Helen Traubel, Jarmila Novotna and more.
Jane Eaglen WED MAR 18 6–7:30PM
One of the leading Wagner singers of our time, the English soprano first gained prominence with her Seattle Opera debut as Norma in 1994. But it would be the battle cries of Wagner’s Brünnhilde and the tragic passion of his Isolde that put her on the international operatic map—including more than 50 performances at the Met.
Diana Soviero MON APR 27 6–7:30PM
Met audiences first got to hear this lyric soprano in 1986 as Gounod’s Juliette, but it would be her interpretations of the verismo repertoire, including roles such as Puccini’s Cio-Cio-San and Suor Angelica and Leoncavallo’s Nedda, that would become her Met calling cards. She has since become one of the most sought-after voice teachers in the country.
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Score-Desk Tickets Expand your operatic experience and learn more about your favorite work by studying its score during a live Met performance. Score-desk seats are located in the Family Circle boxes. These special seats offer no view of the stage, but are equipped with a desk and reading light, enabling study of an opera’s score or libretto during the performance. Tickets at $12 for the general public, $10 for Guild Members, and $8 for students are available for all Met performances. Galas and special events may be purchased at a higher ticket price.
Photo: jonathan tichler / metropolitan opera
Many piano-vocal scores are available from our lending library, including:
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Aida
Don Carlo
Un Ballo in Maschera
Don Giovanni
Il Barbiere di Siviglia
La Donna del Lago
Bluebeard’s Castle
Ernani
La Bohème
Iolanta
Carmen
Lucia di Lammermoor
Cavalleria Rusticana
Macbeth
Les Contes d’Hoffmann
Manon
Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg Le Nozze di Figaro Pagliacci The Rake’s Progress La Traviata Die Zauberflöte
Backstage Tours Go behind the scenes for an exclusive look at what it takes to make operatic magic at the Met! Tours offer a fascinating backstage look at one of the world’s premiere performing arts organizations, including visits to the scenic and carpentry shops, rehearsal rooms, dressing rooms, and stage area.* Tours begin and end in the Met lobby and are held during the Met performance season on most weekdays at 3:00 pm and some Sundays at 10:30 am and 1:30 pm. $22 general public / $20 Guild Members / $18 students and groups of 10 or more. Tours for groups of 10 or more go on sale September, 2014. Regular tours are available to the general public beginning late September, 2014. We recommend purchasing at least two months in advance of your desired tour date, as space is limited and tours tend to sell out. Please note that children under the age of 8 are not permitted on tours due to safety concerns. *Please note that as this is a working opera house, not all areas may be available on every tour.
Students on a backstage tour of the Met. PHOTO: jonathan tichler / Metropolitan opera
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SAVE TH ESE DATE S! Metropolitan Opera Guild Public Programs
Friday, November 21, 2014 at 12:15 PM
Sunday, April 19, 2015 at 6:00 PM
THE 80th ANNUAL METROPOLITAN OPERA GUILD LUNCHEON
THE TENTH ANNUAL OPERA NEWS AWARDS
Brava,Jessye! HONORING JESSYE NORMAN
AWARDS
The Guild and a large contingent of Metropolitan Opera stars will pay tribute to the magnificent Jessye Norman.
At this gala dinner, five great artists will be presented with the highest honor given by the opera industry.
GRAND BALLROOM THE WALDORF=ASTORIA
GRAND BALLROOM THE PLAZA
For more information, call 212.769.7009, or visit www.metguild.org
CO R P O R AT E S P O N S O R
The Met ropolitan Opera Guild
LLOYD E. RIGLER — LAWRENCE E. DEUTSCH FOUNDATION PRESIDENT’S CIRCLE SPONSOR
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Ordering Community Engagement Event Tickets CALL MAIL
ONLINE
212.769.7028 Mon–Fri 10:00 am – 4:00 pm Complete the order form and return it with payment to:
The Metropolitan Opera Guild, Community Engagement 70 Lincoln Center Plaza, 6th Floor, New York, NY 10023-6593
Visit us at metguild.org.
Select For the Community or the online calendar to view all Lectures and Community Engagement events.
Join the Metropolitan Opera Guild Enhance your Met experience by becoming a member of the Metropolitan Opera Guild.
All Guild members receive an annual subscription to Opera News magazine as well as discounts at the Met Opera Shop (including online), MetTalks, backstage tours, and more. ANNUAL MEMBERSHIPS BEGIN AT $75. SUPPORTING MEMBERS ($150) enjoy priority ticketing for Met performances, advance access to Live in HD tickets in the U.S. and Canada, and exclusive online content, including access to the latest radio broadcast online, during the season. (At $75 and $150, $20 is not tax-deductible.) DONOR MEMBERS ($400) are invited to visit the Belmont Room, a Members-only lounge to relax pre-performance and during intermission. ($20 is not tax-deductible.) SPONSOR MEMBERS ($750) receive all of the Guild benefits above, a copy of the Met Season Book, dress rehearsal passes and more. ($45 is not tax-deductible.) For information about Metropolitan Opera Guild membership visit metopera.org/join or call 212.362.0068. All events are held at the Metropolitan Opera Guild Opera Learning Center on the 6th floor of the Samuel B. and David Rose Building at Lincoln Center, unless otherwise noted. Ticket requests are processed in the order received; tickets may be available at the door for a surcharge. All programs, presenters, panelists and artists subject to change. All ticket sales are final. Tickets may be exchanged, subject to availability, for a fee. Limited open seating is available for all events. Student tickets are available to full-time students with a valid student ID only. Please include a copy of the Student ID with your order. Met Opera Guild member discounts are available to current Guild members. Please provide your Met ID or Membership number.
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Become an Underwriter… With a $100 donation, you can help make a difference and underwrite one of the following engagements and receive priority seating preference: OPTION A TUE JAN 27 6–7:30PM BRUNO WALTER AUDITORIUM
A Master Class and Conversation with Thomas Allen OPTION B SUN MAR 29 4–5:30PM BRUNO WALTER AUDITORIUM
A Master Class and Conversation with Plácido Domingo OPTION C MON OCT 6 6–7:30PM OPERA LEARNING CENTER, ROSE BUILDING
Musical Chairs: Denyce Graves Please indicate which option you would like to select for a $100 underwriting donation on the order form. This donation only guarantees priority seating preference for up to two tickets; tickets must be purchased separately. For information please contact Katherine Delaney, Director of Development, at 212.769.7025.
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Courses of Study
Joyce DiDonato in La Donna del Lago Santa Fe Opera production photo by Ken Howard
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Courses of Study Opera Boot Camp: Composers of the Season two consecutive Saturdays presented by Naomi Barrettara
You may be familiar with Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro and Bizet’s Carmen, but how well do you know the creators of these masterpieces? This two-day intensive study course provides an in-depth look at the lives and works of composers featured in the Met’s 2014–15 lineup. Prepare for an exciting season of opera by joining lecturer Naomi Barrettara as she delves into the personal, historical, and musical background of these extraordinary artists. Full course registration $72 public / $64 Guild Members and students Individual sessions $20 in advance / $18 Guild Members and students
Part I: The Life and Legacy of W. A. Mozart SAT SEP 20 11AM–12:30PM This session focuses on Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, whose fascinating life story is often overshadowed by the enormous popularity of his music.
Part II: Italian Romantics SAT SEP 20 2–3:30PM Explore the lives of the great Italian Romantic composers, including Rossini, Donizetti, Verdi, and Puccini.
Part III: Germany vs. France SAT SEP 27 11AM–12:30PM Discover cross-cultural musical influences in this discussion of the lives and times of Wagner, Humperdinck, Bizet, and Massenet.
Part IV: A Portrait of the Modern Composer SAT SEP 27 2–3:30PM The operas of Shostakovich, Bartók, Stravinsky, and John Adams are among the pillars of 20th- and 21st-century repertoire. This session will focus on these composers’ lives and some of the tumultuous historical circumstances that have shaped their works.
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courses of study (continued)
Opera Boot Camp: From Page to Stage two consecutive Saturdays presented by Naomi Barrettara
Naomi Barrettara leads this exciting exploration of the forces that shape and influence the creation of operatic performances. Discussions range from historical performance practices of various eras to the numerous interpretive elements that help bring an opera from the page to the stage. Full course registration $72 public/ $64 Guild Members and students Individual sessions $20 in advance / $18 Guild Members and students
Part I: The Reality of Opera SAT MAR 14 11AM–12:30PM Explore some of the less visible factors that influenced the creative decisions of composers across different operatic genres—including censorship, availability of singers, and the business side of opera.
Part II: Crossing Boundaries SAT MAR 14 2–3:30 PM What comes first: the music or the words? This session examines the division of labor between composer and librettist and the process of bringing the finished work to the stage. We also investigate fascinating examples of composers exerting creative control over the shaping of a libretto and directorial decisions onstage.
Part III: Interpretation and Adaptation across the Ages SAT MAR 21 11AM–12:30PM Take a closer look at set designs, changes in technology, and other forces that transformed the way opera was produced, adapted, and reinterpreted throughout history. Drawing examples from the 2014–15 Met season, we will discuss the creative history of some of these operas from their premieres to subsequent landmark productions.
Part IV: Composing and Conducting SAT MAR 21 2–3:30PM Any operatic performance is shaped first and foremost by the creative choices made by directors, conductors, and singers. A special guest conductor joins us for a discussion of how the musical factors of dynamics, tempi, and articulation shape an interpretation to create an emotionally resonant performance. We will also look at the process of composing music with specific dramatic and operatic goals in mind.
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Saturday Score Readers: Crash Courses Saturdays throughout the season Presented by Naomi Barrettara
Score Reading: An Introduction SAT SEP 13 11AM–12:30PM and 2–3:30PM Two-session registration $40 public / $36 Guild Members & students (not available singly)
Guild staff member Naomi Barrettara covers basic score reading skills to help newcomers feel comfortable diving into the world of reading music and provides a review of core skills for Crash Course regulars. The morning session will focus on notation vocabulary, interpretive markings for singers and orchestra (such as articulation and dynamics), and concepts such as key signatures. The afternoon focuses on aspects of rhythm, including note values and tempo markings, and on important operatic forms and how to identify them in a score.
Students enjoy a lively discussion during their Saturday Score Reading Class. Photo: Caroline Earp / Metropolitan Opera Guild
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courses of study (continued)
Crash Courses Explore the basics of reading a score in these casual, small-group Saturday morning sessions. Crash Courses delve into the musical highlights of the featured opera, giving beginner and intermediate readers the tools to explore the intricate workings of an opera score and experience a new way of listening to opera. Learn more about how a composer tells a story in music and about important historical events and artistic movements that influenced each opera’s creation. Add a Score-Desk seat to a performance at the Met, and turn your study into a full day of learning, listening, and experiencing opera. All classes take place before a corresponding performance for each featured opera, and annotated piano-vocal scores are provided as part of the class ticket price. Beginner-level ability to read music is recommended. Please note that the workshops for Le Nozze di Figaro, Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, and Carmen will only include annotated selections from the piano-vocal scores, due to the operas’ length. Individual Sessions $28 for class and materials only; $36 with added Score-Desk Seat for performance. All 8 sessions with Score-Desk seat $288
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sat OCT 18 10–11:30AM
Le Nozze di Figaro
sat NOV 1 10–11:30AM
Carmen
sat DEC 13 10–11:30AM
Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg
sat JAN 10 10–11:30AM
Aida
sat JAN 31 10–11:30AM
Les Contes d’Hoffmann
sat FEB 21 10–11:30AM
Don Giovanni
sat MAR 28 10–11:30AM
Lucia di Lammermoor
sat APR 11 5–6:30PM
Ernani Performance at 8:30PM
Performance at 1PM
Performance at 1PM Performance at 12PM
Performance at 1PM Performance at 1PM
Performance at 12:30PM Performance at 12PM
Verdi Baritones Thursday Afternoons Presented by Jane Marsh
With the musical drama and vocal fireworks of his operas and the opportunities they provide for singers, Giuseppe Verdi essentially created the dramatic baritone voice type. Guild Lecturer and soprano Jane Marsh explores its development in this three-session course, featuring live vocal demonstrations from young singers. Full course registration $54 public/ $48 Guild Members and students Individual sessions $20 in advance / $18 Guild Members and students
Politics and Heroism: Verdi’s Early-Period Baritones THU OCT 23 2–3:30PM Featuring Andrew Cummings, baritone, and Joan Krueger, pianist, in selections from Ernani and Macbeth.
The Humanist: Verdi’s Middle-Period Baritones THU OCT 30 2–3:30PM Featuring Ricardo Rivera, baritone, and Joan Krueger, pianist, in selections from La Traviata and Don Carlo.
Emotional Outrage: Verdi’s Late-Middle & Late-Period Baritones THU NOV 6 2–3:30PM Featuring Dong Kyu Oh, baritone, and Joan Krueger, pianist, in selections from Un Ballo in Maschera and Falstaff.
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courses of study (continued)
A Guide to 20th-Century Opera Listening Tuesday evenings Presented by Steven Osgood
This season, operas by four major 20th- and 21st-century composers will be seen at the Met: Bartók’s Bluebeard’s Castle, Stravinsky’s The Rake’s Progress, Shostakovich’s Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk, and John Adams’s The Death of Klinghoffer. Conductor Steven Osgood guides us through these works and their musical language and offers listening strategies for each of the operas. The course will conclude with a master class working with singers on selections from these scores. Full course registration $54 public / $48 Guild Members and students Individual sessions $20 in advance / $18 Guild Members and students
A Composer’s Voice TUE NOV 4 5:30–7PM Explore the unique compositional voices of these four modern masters as they experiment with style and musical expression in opera, and discover similarities, differences, and the robust lyricism within each composer’s complex musical language.
Music as Character TUE NOV 11 5:30–7PM While each of these composers has a unique style and voice, they all embrace opera’s demand for character- and situation-driven music. Learn about the new ways these artists chose to bring their stories and characters to the stage and to communicate ideas and emotions.
20th-Century Opera: A Culminating Master Class TUE NOV 18 5:30–7PM Watch these works come to life as Maestro Osgood guides emerging singers through excerpts from this season’s four modern masterpieces.
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The Evolution of French Vocal Writing Thursday afternoons Presented by Jane Marsh
The tradition of French opera played a major part in the development of the genre during the 19th century, with works by composers such as Gounod, Bizet, and Massenet. But there was also a number of foreign-born composers who had a significant influence, including Rossini, Offenbach, and Verdi. Jane Marsh takes us through a four-week course, featuring live singer demonstrations, to explore the impact of this season’s French operas on the evolution of musical and vocal development. Full course registration $72 public/ $64 Guild Members and students Individual sessions $20 in advance / $18 Guild Members and students
Offenbach’s German Influence: From Operetta to French Opera THU FEB 26 2–3:30PM Featuring Michelle Pretto, soprano, and Matthew Tuell, tenor, with pianist John Kolody in selections from Offenbach operas.
Verdi and the French Grand Opéra Style THU MAR 5 2–3:30PM Featuring Mithra Mastropierro, soprano, and Chad Armstrong, baritone, with pianist Anthony Manoli in selections from Verdi and Rossini operas.
French Realism: Carmen and the Verismo Style THU MAR 12 2–3:30PM Featuring Kimberly Sogioka, mezzo-soprano, and Won Whi Choi, tenor, with pianist Mitchell Cirker in selections from Bizet’s Carmen.
Parisian Belle Époque: The Enduring Charm of Massenet THU MAR 19 2–3:30PM Featuring Tracy Chang, soprano, and Sara Petrocelli, mezzo-soprano, with pianist David Holkeboer in selections from Massenet operas.
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courses of study (continued)
Prima Donnas: The Great Women of Opera Wednesday mornings Presented by Ira Siff
There are opera stars—and then there are prima donnas. For the past 300 years, audiences have been thrilled by those extraordinary sopranos and mezzo-sopranos who deliver awe-inspiring performances and define vocalism for generations. Met radio commentator Ira Siff brings his extensive knowledge of great singing throughout the Met’s history to an exploration of the voices and performances that have made these women legends. Full course registration $72 public/ $64 Guild Members and students Individual sessions $20 in advance / $18 Guild Members and students
Strong and True: The Women of Verdi WED APR 15 11AM–12:30PM Verdi’s demanding and dramatic vocal writing explored new heights of size and range, pushing the physical limits of the voice. Explore the dazzling performances of Rosa Ponselle, Zinka Milanov, Maria Callas, Leontyne Price, Aprile Millo, Dolora Zajick, and others in this first session.
Irresistible Heroines: The Women of Puccini WED APR 22 11AM–12:30PM Puccini’s female characters are some of the most endearing and beloved in all of opera. Experience the women who brought these roles to life, including Licia Albanese, Renata Tebaldi, Renata Scotto, Teresa Stratas, and Diana Soviero.
Romance Personified: The Women of Massenet WED APR 29 11AM–12:30PM In the French tradition, Massenet fills the vocal lines of his leading female characters with complex, elegant, and luscious music. This third session highlights the performances of Lucrezia Bori, Victoria de los Angeles, Joan Sutherland, Renée Fleming, and Anna Netrebko.
Lyricism and Innovation: The Women of Strauss WED MAY 6 11AM–12:30PM Strauss is revered for the lush, sweeping music he wrote for sopranos, and he excelled in both the romantic, melodic style of the past and in modern experimentation and harmony. In our final session, watch divas Inge Borkh, Astrid Varnay, Birgit Nilsson, Leonie Rysanek, and Deborah Voigt take on the roles of Strauss heroines.
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Inside Look: Interviews with Metropolitan Opera Artisans and Staff Thursday Evenings Presented by William Berger
Every Met season, nearly 2,000 staff members and administrators come together to bring great opera to the stage—each one of them working at the height of his or her artistry and field. Author and Met radio producer William Berger takes us behind the scenes of the opera house, welcoming special guests to discuss the technical, musical, and artistic challenges of making opera come alive. Full course registration $72 public / $64 Guild Members and students Individual sessions $20 in advance / $18 Guild Members and students
The Languages of Opera THU APR 16 5:30–7PM Operas have been written in many languages from around the world. But what if a singer has to perform in a language not his own? And how to communicate an opera’s ideas and story to a global audience? The team of coaches and prompters who help singers perfect the nuances of the languages they sing is crucial to a performance. Join us for a talk with these members of the Met staff as they discuss the challenges and rewards of preparing singers and, sometimes, serving as a singer’s lifeline during a performance.
Becoming the Character THU APR 23 5:30–7PM An opera’s story is told in music, movement, and staging—but how are singers physically transformed into the characters they play? Join us as we talk with some of the Met’s wig and make-up artists, exploring their work as well as discussing how their field has evolved over the years.
Inside look (continued on ne x t page) 33
courses of study (continued)
Author and Met radio producer William Berger shares his opera knowledge during a lecture. Photo: Jessica Bal / Metropolitan Opera Guild
Opera on the Airwaves: Insights from the Radio Team THU MAY 7 5:30–7PM The Met’s Saturday matinee radio broadcasts are a beloved tradition reaching back to 1931. Mr. Berger, a member of the broadcast team, brings his colleagues to the Guild for a lively discussion of the popular radio programs, exploring how broadcasters prepare in advance and how they make the performances come alive for listeners around the world. They also share insights on how listeners and their needs have changed—or stayed the same—throughout the generations.
Lights! Camera! Action!—Opera on the Big Screen THU MAY 14 5:30–7PM The Met’s Live in HD movie-theater transmissions have revolutionized classical music in the digital age and the way we think about opera. Live in HD producers join us to discuss the complex preparations and technical processes involved in bringing an opera performance to screens around the world in real time, and to look at the artistic and musical considerations that guide their decisions. 34
Lecturers, Presenters, and Teachers Thomas Allen is an established star of the great opera houses of the world. At the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, where this season he celebrates the 40th anniversary of his debut with the company, he has sung no less than fifty roles. In 2006, he also celebrated his twenty-fifth anniversary of his debut at the Metropolitan Opera, New York. Equally renowned on the concert platform, he appears in recital in the United Kingdom, throughout Europe, in Australia and America, and has performed with the world’s greatest orchestras and conductors. He made a triumphant directing debut with Albert Herring at the Royal College of Music in 2003. He has since directed successful productions of Le Nozze di Figaro for Arizona Opera, and Don Giovanni and Così fan tutte for Samling Opera at The Sage, Gateshead. A regular guest at Scottish Opera, his productions of Il Barbiere di Siviglia and Le Nozze di Figaro have enjoyed widespread critical acclaim. Naomi Barrettara, now in her fourth year as a staff lecturer at the Metropolitan Opera Guild, holds a master’s degree in music from the CUNY Graduate Center in New York City, where she is currently pursuing her doctorate in musicology with research focus areas in opera studies and public musicology. She is also a student in the Graduate Center’s Interactive Technology and Pedagogy program and has received several fellowships for her work with digital projects and social media. William Berger is the author of several books on opera, including Wagner Without Fear, Verdi With a Vengeance, and Puccini Without Excuses (Vintage Books). He is a frequent lecturer and speaker on opera at a variety of venues internationally, as well as for the opera companies of Seattle, Houston, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C. He has worked at the Met since 2006 as a writer, radio producer, and on-air commentator, together with host Margaret Juntwait, for the live weeknight broadcasts on Met Opera Radio on SiriusXM. He is also a writer and producer for the Met’s popular Saturday matinee broadcast quiz. Plácido Domingo is a world-renowned, multifaceted artist, recognized not only as one of the finest and most influential singing actors in the history of opera but also as a respected conductor. He has sung 144 different roles, more than any other tenor in the annals of music, with more than 3,600 career performances. His repertoire spans the gamut from Mozart to Verdi, from Berlioz to Puccini, from Wagner to Ginastera. He sings in every important opera house in the world and has made an unparalleled amount of recordings. His more than 100 recordings of complete operas, compilations of arias and duets, and crossover discs have earned him 12 Grammy Awards, three of which are Latin Grammys, and he has made more than 50 music videos. Mr. Domingo is the founder of the Operalia competition, which just celebrated its twentyfirst anniversary, and also serves as General Director of Los Angeles Opera.
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Lec turers, Presenters, and Teachers (continued)
Nimet Habachy is best known in the New York area for her more than 25 years as host of New York at Night on the “old” WQXR and for her presence three times a week on the “new” WQXR. Her talks on opera and classical music for the Guild and the Metropolitan Museum of Art keep her an audience favorite. She joined the Met Museum’s trip to Turkey in the fall of 2012 as a lecturer. Dr. Jeffrey Langford is Assistant Dean for Doctoral Studies and Chair of the Music History Department at Manhattan School of Music. A frequent lecturer for the Guild, he has written articles on the operas of Verdi and Berlioz and is the author of the annotated bibliography Hector Berlioz: A Guide to Research (Garland Press) and Evenings at the Opera: An Exploration of the Basic Repertoire (Amadeus Press). Dr. Langford also serves as the Administrative Director of a new summer chamber music festival, Manhattan in the Mountains, which takes place in Hunter, NY in July and August. Jay Lesenger has created more than 200 productions across the country and internationally during his career spanning over 35 years as a stage director, administrator, and teacher. He has been General and Artistic Director and principal stage director of Chautauqua Opera since 1995. He is also a nationally recognized teacher of acting for singers, recently served on the Board of Directors of Opera America, and is a frequent adjudicator for the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. Soprano Jane Marsh was the first singer to win the Gold Medal in Moscow’s International Tchaikovsky Competition. She made her debut at Italy’s Spoleto Festival as Desdemona in Verdi’s Otello and has been heard at many of the world’s major festivals, opera houses, and concert halls. In addition to Verdi, Strauss, and bel canto, her repertoire includes the heroines of Tchaikovsky and Rimsky-Korsakov. She leads master classes in the U.S. and Europe and has appeared, as performer and host, in international and U.S. radio and television programs. Upcoming performances include an Advent & Christmas program at the CUNY Graduate Center in December 2014. Her music anthology Spirit Be Joyful!, for which she created the singing translations and transliterations, was published by Oxford University Press in 2008. She joined the Guild’s roster of presenters in 2007, is the co-creator of the Guild’s Masterly Singing series, and currently serves as Artistic Advisor and Program Consultant. She was awarded the New York Handel Medallion for exceptional contributions to the city’s cultural life. Desirée Mays lectures both live and on radio across the U.S., has written 16 books in the Opera Unveiled series, and leads groups of opera lovers around the world. Her summers are spent at home in Santa Fe where she has been the resident speaker for the Santa Fe Opera since 1995; winters can find her lecturing for the Met Opera Guild.
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John J. H. Muller is a Professor of Music History at The Juilliard School, where he teaches a wide variety of courses for undergraduate and graduate students, as well as for adult laymen. He has lectured frequently for the Metropolitan Opera Guild, and presented talks during the Kirov Ring and for many of the Metropolitan Opera Ring cycles. He has also lectured for other organizations, including the Wagner Society of New York and the American Psychoanalytic Association. From 2010 to 2013, he was the English language lecturer at the Bayreuth Festival. His essay on Parsifal appeared in Wagner Outside the Ring. Steven Osgood conducted the world premieres of Tan Dun’s Peony Pavilion, Xenakis’ Oresteia, Janice Hamer’s Lost Childhood, Paula Kimper’s Patience & Sarah, Missy Mazzoli’s Song from the Uproar, Daron Hagen’s Little Nemo in Slumberland, Mohammed Fairouz’s Sumeida’s Song, Kamala Sankaram’s Thumbprint, and most recently Daniel Sonenberg’s The Summer King. He was Artistic Director of American Opera Projects from 2001 until 2008, during which time he created the Composers and the Voice fellowship program. He has been a member of the music staff of the Metropolitan Opera since 2006, and has been called on to conduct workshops of operas by Nico Muhly and Scott Wheeler. Upcoming productions include the world premieres of Laura Kaminsky’s As One with AOP, and Stefan Weisman’s The Scarlet Ibis with the PROTOTYPE Festival, as well as Tom Cipullo’s Glory Denied with Opera Memphis and Jake Heggie’s Three Decembers with Atlanta Opera. His recordings of Lee Hoiby’s A Month in the Country, and Summer and Smoke, as well as Virgil Thomson’s The Mother Of Us All are available on Albany Records. Missy Mazzoli’s Song from the Uproar is released on New Amsterdam Records. Dr. Harlow Robinson is an author, lecturer, and the Matthews Distinguished University Professor of History at Northeastern University. An internationally recognized authority on Russian music and culture, he is the author of Sergei Prokofiev: A Biography and Russians in Hollywood, Hollywood’s Russians. He is a frequent lecturer for the Boston Symphony and an arts correspondent for the Boston Globe.
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Dr. W. Anthony Sheppard is Professor of Music and Department Chair at Williams College, with degrees from Princeton University and Amherst College. He specializes in 20th- and 21st-century opera and music theater and serves as editor of the Journal of the American Musicological Society. Ira Siff is a native New Yorker who grew up on the standing room line at the old Met, worshipping the great singers of the time and listening to the Met’s broadcasts. In 1981 he founded La Gran Scena Opera Co., the operatic spoof troupe, which won great acclaim from press and public around the world. A voice teacher and coach for the past 40 years, he also gives master classes, stage directs, lectures on opera, writes for Opera News, and has, since 2007, served as on-air commentator, together with host Margaret Juntwait, for the Met’s Saturday matinee radio broadcasts. Dona D. Vaughn, the Artistic Director of Opera Programs at Manhattan School of Music, also serves as Artistic Director of PORTopera, a summer festival in Portland, Maine. From 1998 to 2009 she was Stage Director/Acting Coach for The Metropolitan Opera’s Lindemann Young Artist Development Program. A graduate of Brevard College (voice) where she currently serves on the board of trustees, she received her BA in music (vocal performance) from Wesleyan (Outstanding Alumni Award), the MA in theater (directing) from Hunter College, and an Honorary Doctorate of Music from the University of Southern Maine. Ms. Vaughn has extensive directing credits throughout the U.S., Canada, and China. She often conducts master classes across the U.S., Europe, and China, and serves as an adjudicator for vocal competitions including The Metropolitan Opera National Council and The Richard Tucker Foundation. A member of the Jensen Foundation Board, she has written for Opera News and Italy’s Musical!
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2014–15 Calendar of Events All events are held at the Opera Learning Center, located on the 6th floor of the Samuel B. and David Rose Building, 65th Street between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue, unless otherwise noted.
AUGUST SAT AUG 23 5:30PM
La Bohème HD Lectures
SUN AUG 24 5:30PM
Prince Igor HD Lectures
MON AUG 25 5:30PM The Nose HD Lectures TUE AUG 26 5:30PM
Simon Boccanegra HD Lectures
WED AUG 27 5:30PM Falstaff HD Lectures THU AUG 28 5:30PM
Rusalka HD Lectures
FRI AUG 29 5:30PM
L’Elisir D’Amore HD Lectures
SAT AUG 30 5:30PM
Don Pasquale HD Lectures
SUN AUG 31 5:30PM
Werther HD Lectures
SEPTEMBER MON SEP 1 5:30PM
Eugene Onegin HD Lectures
SAT SEP 13 11AM
Introduction Session I Score Reading
Barrettara
SAT SEP 13 2PM
Introduction Session II Score Reading
Barrettara
TUE SEP 16 7PM
Le Nozze di Figaro MetTalks Cast and Production Team
SAT SEP 20 11AM
The Life and Legacy of W.A. Mozart Boot Camp: Composers
Barrettara
SAT SEP 20 2PM
Italian Romantics Boot Camp: Composers
Barrettara
SAT SEP 27 11AM
Germany vs. France Boot Camp: Composers
Barrettara
SAT SEP 27 2PM
A Portrait of the Modern Composer Boot Camp: Composers
Barrettara
MON SEP 29 6PM
Željko Lučić Singers’ S tudio Driscoll
Metropolitan Opera House
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2014 –15 Calendar of Events (continued)
OC TOBER THU OCT 2 6PM
Le Nozze di Figaro Outlook Lesenger
SUN OCT 5 11AM
Beaumarchais Study Day Part I Outlook Robinson
SUN OCT 5 2PM
Beaumarchais Study Day Part II Outlook Robinson
MON OCT 6 6PM
Denyce Graves Music al Chairs
WED OCT 8 6PM
Macbeth Outlook
WED OCT 15 6PM
Bruno Walter Auditorium
SAT OCT 18 10AM
Le Nozze di Figaro Crash Course
TUE OCT 21 6PM
Die Zauberflöte Outlook
THU OCT 23 2PM
Politics and Heroism Verdi Baritones
TUE OCT 28 6PM
James Conlon Singers’ S tudio Driscoll
THU OCT 30 2PM
The Humanist Verdi Baritones
Gruber Marsh
The Death of Klinghoffer* MetTalks Cast and Production Team
Barrettara Habachy Marsh
Marsh
NOVEMBER
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SAT NOV 1 10AM
Carmen Crash Course
Barrettara
SAT NOV 1 6PM
The Death of Klinghoffer Outlook
Sheppard
TUE NOV 4 5:30PM
A Composer’s Voice 20th-Century Opera Listening Osgood
THU NOV 6 2PM
Emotional Outrage Verdi Baritones
SUN NOV 9 4PM
Music of the Homeland: A Russian Master Class Ma s terly Singing Marsh
MON NOV 10 6PM
Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk Outlook Robinson
TUE NOV 11 5:30PM
Music as Character 20th-Century Opera Listening Osgood
TUE NOV 18 5:30PM
20th-Century Master Class 20th-Century Opera Listening Osgood
Marsh
DECEMBER THU DEC 4 6PM
Lauren Flanigan Music al Chairs
TUE DEC 9 4:30PM
Die Meistersinger von Nürnburg Outlook
WED DEC 10 5:30PM
The Merry Widow MetTalks Cast and Production Team
SAT DEC 13 10AM
Die Meistersinger von Nürnburg Crash Course
Barrettara
SAT JAN 10 10AM
Aida Crash Course
Barrettara
TUE JAN 13 6PM
The Merry Widow Outlook Lesenger
WED JAN 21 6PM
Iolanta/Bluebeard’s Castle* MetTalks Cast and Production Team
SAT JAN 24 11AM
Iolanta/Bluebeard’s Castle Study Day Part I Outlook
Marsh
SAT JAN 24 2PM
Iolanta/Bluebeard’s Castle Study Day Part II Outlook
Marsh
TUE JAN 27 6PM
Thomas Allen Singers’ S tudio/Ma s terly Singing
SAT JAN 31 10AM
Les Contes d’Hoffmann Crash Course
Barrettara
THU FEB 5 6PM
Les Contes d’Hoffmann Outlook
Barrettara
MON FEB 9 6PM
Met Stars in Hollywood Music al Chairs
Gruber
WED FEB 11 5:30PM
Don Giovanni: Love is a Battlefield Ma s terly Singing
Vaughn
WED FEB 11 6PM
La Donna del Lago* MetTalks
SAT FEB 21 10AM
Don Giovanni Crash Course
THU FEB 26 2PM
Offenbach’s German Influence Evolution of French Vocal Writing
Gruber Muller
Metropolitan Opera House
JANUARY
Bruno Walter Auditorium
Guinther
Bruno Walter Auditorium
FEBRUARY
Cast and Production Team
Bruno Walter Auditorium
Barrettara Marsh
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2014 –15 Calendar of Events (continued)
MARCH
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TUE MAR 3 6PM
La Donna del Lago Outlook
Mays
WED MAR 4 6PM
Carmen Outlook
Mays
THU MAR 5 2PM
Verdi and French Grand Opéra Evolution of French Vocal Writing
Marsh
THU MAR 12 2PM
French Realism Evolution of French Vocal Writing
Marsh
SAT MAR 14 11AM
The Reality of Opera Boot Camp: Page to Stage
Barrettara
SAT MAR 14 2PM
Crossing Boundaries Boot Camp: Page to Stage
Barrettara
TUE MAR 17 6PM
Manon Outlook Langford
WED MAR 18 6PM
Jane Eaglen Music al Chairs
THU MAR 19 2PM
Parisian Belle Époque Evolution of French Vocal Writing
SAT MAR 21 11AM
Interpretation and Adaptation Across the Ages Boot Camp: Page to Stage
Barrettara
SAT MAR 21 2PM
Composing and Conducting Boot Camp: Page to Stage
Barrettara
TUE MAR 24 6PM
Angela Meade Singers’ S tudio Driscoll
THU MAR 26 6PM
Ernani Outlook
Barrettara
SAT MAR 28 10AM
Lucia di Lammermoor Crash Course
Barrettara
SUN MAR 29 4PM
Plácido Domingo Singers’ S tudio/Ma s terly Singing Driscoll Bruno Walter Auditorium
Gruber Marsh
APRIL MON APR 6 5:30PM
Don Carlo Outlook
WED APR 8 6PM
Cavalleria Rusticana/Pagliacci* MetTalks
Wed Apr 8 6PM
Simon Keenlyside Singer ’s S tudio
SAT APR 11 5PM
Ernani Crash Course
MON APR 13 6PM
Aida Outlook
TUE APR 14 6PM
Cavalleria Rusticana/Pagliacci Outlook
WED APR 15 11AM
Strong and True: The Women of Verdi Prima Donnas
THU APR 16 5:30PM
The Languages of Opera Inside Look
WED APR 22 11AM
Irresistible Heroines: The Women of Puccini Prima Donnas
THU APR 23 5:30PM
Becoming the Character Inside Look
Berger
MON APR 27 6PM
Diana Soviero Music al Chairs
Gruber
TUE APR 28 6PM
Un Ballo in Maschera Outlook Langford
WED APR 29 11AM
Romance Personified: The Women of Massenet Prima Donnas
Siff
WED MAY 6 11AM
Lyricism and Innovation: The Women of Strauss Prima Donnas
Siff
THU MAY 7 5:30PM
Opera on the Airwaves Inside Look
Berger
THU MAY 14 5:30PM
Opera on the Big Screen Inside Look
Berger
Muller Cast and Production Team
Bruno Walter Auditorium
Wasserman Barrettara Habachy Berger Siff Berger Siff
MAY
*The MetTalks for The Death of Klinghoffer, Iolanta/Bluebeard’s Castle, La Donna del Lago, and Cavalleria Rusticana/Pagliacci are available to members of the Patron Program only. Please call 212.870.4502 to reserve.
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Metropolitan Opera Guild Board of Directors Judith H. Auchincloss Dr. Susan Battley Robert E. Bierman Susan S. Braddock Mrs. Schuyler G. Chapin Edmée de M. Firth John Hargraves Kate Webb Harris Stuart H. Johnson, III Sandra S. Joys Mrs. Kerryn King Dr. Cora Koppe-Stahrenberg Stephen C. Koval Theodore A. Kurz James S. Marcus Louis Miano Jules Miller Richard J. Miller, Jr. Christopher S. Moore Mrs. Peter H. Nicholas Langdon Van Norden, Jr. Dr. Ebbie Parsons, III Oscar de la Renta Lowell W. Robinson Winthrop Rutherfurd, Jr. Christopher Serbagi Marc S. Solomon Ellsworth George Stanton III Patricia S. Sullivan Elizabeth S. Tunick George C. White
Artists’ Council Martina Arroyo Harolyn Blackwell Rosalind Elias Michael Fabiano Susan Graham Thomas Hampson Eric Owens Roberta Peters Frederica von Stade Emeritus Council Diana Russell Deacon Mrs. Richard Durkes Mrs. Anthony L. Geller Mrs. Randolph H. Guthrie Mrs. James R. Houghton Thomas J. Hubbard Mrs. James B. Hurlock Mrs. Alexander M. Laughlin Lawrence D. Lovett Maria M. Moore Mary G. Rockefeller Ex-Officios Kevin W. Kennedy Ann Ziff
The Guild gratefully acknowledges support from Adirondack Foundation—Rocky Bog Fund, The Bagby Foundation for the Musical Arts, The Bodman Foundation, The Marc Haas Foundation, The Lucius N. Littauer Foundation, Midland Community Area Foundation, The Tony Randall Theatrical Fund, The Windfall Foundation, and Woodland Foundation, Inc.
Public support provided by the New York State Council on the Arts. 44
Samuel B. and David Rose Building 70 Lincoln Center Plaza The Rose Building is fully ADA compliant.
e=elevator location Amsterdam Avenue Performing Arts Library
e
Beaumont, Newhouse, and Tow Theaters
Rose Building Opera Learning Center 6th Fl.
e
ee
Film Society of Lincoln Center
Damrosch Park
David H. Koch Theater
Avery Fisher Hall
Columbus Avenue
Walter Reade Theater The Juilliard School
West 65th Street
West 62nd Street
Metropolitan Opera House
Alice Tully Hall
B ro
adw
ay
Most events will be held at the Guild’s Opera Learning Center, located on the 6th floor of the Samuel B. and David Rose Building.
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Lectures and Community Engagement 70 Lincoln Center Plaza New York, NY 10023-6593
