Description
PLEASE NOTE UPDATED DATES: * Class begins March 28, and meets 4/11, 4/18, 5/16, and 5/23 *
The Metropolitan Opera and Boston Baroque are offering a variety of operatic performances this spring. So let’s get ready to increase our enjoyment of these varied operas. We begin with Verdi’s last opera, Falstaff. When we think of Verdi we do not at first think of him as a composer of comedy, yet his last opera is one of the great operatic comedies. Staying with comedy, we next explore Richard Strauss’ most popular opera Der Rosenkavalier. Strauss uses the orchestra to create a comic work that sparkles and yet has a tear in the corner of the eye. Next we explore Christopher Gluck’s “tragédie lyrique” Iphigénie en Tauride. After this we will move on to Mozart’s Don Giovanni, which is considered by many to be the “perfect” opera. We conclude with Die Zauberflöte – The Magic Flute, Mozart’s last completed opera.
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.
