Description
The spring opera class will celebrate 2 Puccini works: the world famous ‘Madama Butterfly” and his lesser known lyric comedy “La Rondine” both featured on HD in theaters and the Italian-American composer Gian Carlo Menotti’s musical drama “The Consul”. We begin with Puccini’s “La Rondine”, which was written after “Madame Butterfly” and “The Girl of the Golden West”. Staring in this sentimental story of early love and its parting of ways will be Angela Gheorghiu and Robert Alagna. Though less well known as an opera, “La Rondine” contains the famous soprano aria “Che il bel sogno di Doretta” (“Doretta’s Dream”). We continue with Puccini’s well known Japanese Tragedy “Madama Butterfly” with a score full of melody. We will compare Frédéric Mitterrand’s filmed production starring Ying Huang and Richard Troxell with Anthony Minghella’s MET production starring Patricia Racette and Marcello Giordani. Our final opera is Gian Carlo Menotti’s Drama Critics’ Circle Award and Pulitzer Prize winning musical drama “The Consul”. The opera tells the timely story of the danger when bureaucracy becomes the face of dictatorship. This opera opened at the Shubert Theater in Philadelphia and starred Patricia Neway, who will also sing the role in our DVD.
David Collins has been lecturing on opera in the greater Boston area for over 25 years. He had been Opera Boston’s resident lecturer for 8 years. He has given opera courses at MIT, Regis College, The Boston Center for Adult Education and The Cambridge Center for Adult Education as well as lecturing at Northeastern University. Dave is currently a trustee of The Boston Wagner Association. Dave received his Bachelor degree from Boston University’s School of Music, his Master’s from Lesley University and did post grad work at the New England Conservatory and the University of Connecticut – Hart School of Music.
PLEASE NOTE: This class begins on 4/9 and will meet on 5/7 and 6/4.
