Lectures and
Community Engagement
2016­–17
About the Metropolitan Opera Guild
The Metropolitan Opera Guild is the world’s premier arts
education organization dedicated to enriching people’s
lives through the magic and artistry of opera. Thanks to the
support of individuals, government agencies, foundations,
and corporate sponsors, the Guild brings opera to life both
on and off the stage through its educational programs. For
students, the Guild fosters personal expression, collaboration,
literacy skills, and self-confidence with customized education
programs integrated into the curriculum of their schools. For
adults, the Guild deepens the knowledge of the first-time
operagoer to the life-long fan through intensive workshops,
pre-performance talks, and community outreach programs.
In addition to providing educational programs, the Guild
serves as publisher of Opera News. The world’s leading opera
magazine reaches a global audience with the most insightful
and up-to-date writing on opera available anywhere, helping
to maintain opera as a thriving, contemporary art form. For
more information about the Metropolitan Opera Guild and
its programs, visit metguild.org. Additional information and
archives of Opera News can be found online at operanews.com.
Cover: Diana Damrau and Vittorio Grigolo in the new production of Roméo et Juliette
Photo: kristian schuller / metropolitan opera
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Lectures and
Community Engagement
2016­–17
Table of Contents
Welcome
6 Presenters, Panelists, Artists, and Staff
7 Summer HD Festival Pre-Screening Talks
T h e M e t r o p o l i t a n O p e r a G u i l d has an extraordinary history of connecting
8 The Met: Live in HD
with individuals of all ages. Since 1935, the Guild has harnessed the power of opera
9 Insights on the 2016–17 Metropolitan Opera Season: New Production Talks
to enrich the lives of diverse communities through educational and community
programs that excite, inform, and inspire.
My hope is that our Community Engagement programs will convey the deep passion
and commitment that we feel toward opera and toward the audiences we serve.
Whether you’re an opera novice or an avid fan, there is much to look forward to
in our 81st season. Join us on a backstage tour for an up-close look at the inner
workings of one of the world’s greatest opera houses, meet some of the art form’s
brightest stars in our artist interview series, or gain insight into the history and
creation of opera through an intensive opera boot camp course.
There are countless events to experience at the Metropolitan Opera Guild this
season, so bring your friends, share music with us, and be inspired!
10 Opera Outlooks Pre-Performance Talks
16 Opera News presents The Singers’ Studio
Casual Conversations
18 Masterly Singing
Master Classes and Vocal Showcases
20 Musical Chairs
Conversations on a Life in Music
22 Score-Desk Tickets
23 Backstage Tours
24 Guild Membership and Ordering Information
27 Courses of Study
Saturday Score Reading: Crash Courses
Opera Boot Camp: Fall and Spring
Opera in Pop Culture
Exploring Mozart
Behind the Gold Curtain: Arts and Artisans at the Met
Verdi All-Stars
Sincerely,
Richard J. Miller, Jr.
President
38 Biographies of Lecturers, Presenters, and Teachers
41 Calendar of Events
45 Metropolitan Opera Guild Board of Directors
47 Map of Event Locations
Presenters, Panelists, Artists, and Staff
Program Leadership
Thomas M. Martin
Managing Director
The Metropolitan Opera Guild
Stuart Holt
Elizabeth Fosmire
John J. H. Muller
Community Engagement
Assistant
Professor of Music History and
Graduate Studies
The Metropolitan Opera Guild
The Juilliard School
Paul Gruber
Donald Palumbo
Executive Director,
Program Development
Chorus Master
Director of School Programs &
Community Engagement
The Metropolitan Opera Guild
The Metropolitan Opera Guild
Nimet Habachy
Lecturer, Writer, and
Broadcaster
Naomi Barrettara
Program Development
Consultant
Thomas Hampson
Baritone
The Metropolitan Opera Guild
Jamie Barton
Mezzo-Soprano
Kyle Homewood
Senior Associate of Community
Engagement
The Metropolitan Opera Guild
William Berger
Author, Radio Host, and
Commentator
Victoria Bond
Composer and Conductor
Javier Camarena
Tenor
Diana Damrau
Soprano
Elspeth Davis
Community Engagement
Coordinator
The Metropolitan Opera Guild
F. Paul Driscoll
Editor-in-Chief
Opera News
Michael Fabiano
Tenor
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Jeffrey Langford, Ph.D.
Metropolitan Opera
Ailyn Pérez
Soprano
Bass-Baritone
Patricia Racette
Soprano
Harlow Robinson, Ph.D.
Matthews Distinguished
University Professor
Williams College
Jay Lesenger
Ira Siff
Stage Director
Director, Vocal Coach, and
Broadcaster
Soprano
Artistic and Program Consultant
Professor and Chair, Music
Robin Ticciati
Conductor
Adam Wasserman
Digital Editor
The Metropolitan Opera Guild
Opera News
Desirée Mays
Sonya Yoncheva
Author and Lecturer
Tickets are $15 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 metopera.org. If a screening is canceled
due to weather conditions, tickets will be refunded.
Milos̆ forman, director
Amadeus
Fri Aug 26 7:45PM
A Co-presentation of
the Film Society of
Lincoln Center and the
Metropolitan Opera
2 hours 40 minutes approx.
Mozart
Manhattan School of Music
Jane Marsh
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.
Donizetti
La Fille
du Régiment
Tue Aug 30 8PM
Armiliato; Dessay,
Palmer, Flórez,
Corbelli, Caldwell
2 hours 10 minutes approx.
Northeastern University
W. Anthony Sheppard,
Ph.D.
Baritone
This series presents 11 lectures on 11 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.
Luca Pisaroni
Professor and Chair,
Music History
Assistant Dean of Doctoral
Students
Alexey Markov
Summer HD Festival
Pre-Screening Talks
Le Nozze di Figaro
Sat Aug 27 7:30PM
Levine; Majeski,
Petersen, Leonard,
Mattei, Abdrazakov
3 hours approx.
Verdi
Il Trovatore
Sun Aug 28 8PM
Armiliato; Netrebko,
Zajick, Lee, Hvorostovsky,
Kocán
2 hours 30 minutes approx.
Verdi
Soprano
Otello
Mon Aug 29 8PM
Nézet-Séguin;
Yoncheva, Antonenko,
Pittas, Lučić,
Groissböck
2 hours 30 minutes approx.
Donizetti
Mascagni / Leoncavallo
Cavalleria Rusticana/
Pagliacci
Fri Sep 2 8PM
Cavalleria Rusticana:
Luisi; Westbroek,
Álvarez, Gagnidze
Pagliacci: Luisi;
Racette, Álvarez,
Gagnidze, Meachem
Lucia di
Lammermoor
2 hours 30 minutes approx.
Wed Aug 31 8PM
The Merry Widow
Summers; Dessay,
Calleja, Tézier,
Youn
2 hours 15 minutes approx.
Rossini
La Cenerentola
Thu Sep 1 7:45PM
Luisi; DiDonato,
Flórez, Spagnoli,
Corbelli, Pisaroni
2 hours 45 minutes approx.
Lehár
Sat Sep 3 8PM
Davis; Fleming, O’Hara,
Gunn, Shrader, Allen 2 hours 15 minutes approx.
Puccini
Turandot
Sun Sep 4 8PM
Carignani; Stemme, Hartig,
Berti, Tsymbalyuk
2 hours 5 minutes approx.
Bizet
Les Pêcheurs de Perles
Mon Sep 5 8PM
Noseda; Damrau,
Polenzani, Kwiecien,
Testé
2 hours approx.
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The Met: Live in HD
Insights on the 2016–17 Season
The Met’s Peabody and Emmy Award–winning series of live performance
transmissions to movie theaters around the world continues for its 11th season,
featuring ten live broadcasts. Live in HD productions are seen on 2,000
screens in 70 countries. Don’t miss the chance to experience the Met live at
your local movie theater! For more information, visit metopera.org/HDlive.
As in previous years, the Met is partnering with cultural institutions across
New York City for a series of talks, discussions, and other special events
tied to the 2016–17 season’s six new productions. Join directors, designers,
and singers for stimulating conversations, performances, and more.
2016–17 Season
Wagner
Gounod
New Production Talks
Talks currently
scheduled include:
Saariaho’s
Tchaikovsky
Tristan und Isolde
Roméo et Juliette
Eugene Onegin
SAT OCT 8
12:00PM Eastern Time
SAT jan 21
12:55PM Eastern Time
SAT Apr 22
12:55PM Eastern Time
Guggenheim Museum,
Works & Process series
Rattle; Stemme, Gubanova, Noseda; Damrau, Verrez,
Ticciati; Netrebko,
Skelton, Nikitin, Pape
Grigolo, Madore, Petrenko Maximova, Dolgov,
Hvorostovsky, Kocán
Mozart
Rusalka
SAT OCT 22
12:55PM Eastern Time
SAT feb 25
12:55PM Eastern Time
Luisi; Gerzmava, Byström, Elder; Opolais,
Malfi, Villazón, Keenlyside, Dalayman, Barton,
Plachetka, Rose, Youn
Jovanovich, Owens
Saariaho
Verdi
L’Amour de Loin
La Traviata
SAT dec 10
12:55PM Eastern Time
SAT mar 11
12:55PM Eastern Time
Verdi
Mozart
Mälkki; Phillips,
Mumford, Owens
Gounod’s
At the New York Historical Society,
presented by the Shakespeare
Society and the Met
Strauss
Der Rosenkavalier
SAT May 13
12:30PM Eastern Time
Nabucco
Idomeneo
SAT jan 7
12:55PM Eastern Time
SAT mar 25
12:55PM Eastern Time
For details and information on additional
events, visit metopera.org in September
and throughout the season.
Weigle; Fleming,
Garanča, Morley,
Polenzani, Brück,
Groissböck
Luisotti; Yoncheva,
Fabiano, Hampson
Levine; Monastyrska,
Levine; Sierra,
Barton, Thomas, Domingo, van den Heever, Coote,
Belosselskiy
Polenzani, Opie
The Met: Live in HD series is made possible by a generous grant from its founding
sponsor, The Neubauer Family Foundation.
Global sponsorship of The Met: Live in HD is also provided by Bloomberg Philanthropies.
Roméo et Juliette
Wednesday, December 7, 2016, 7:00 pm
Dvořák
Don Giovanni
L’Amour de Loin
Monday, November 7, 2016, 7:30pm
Open Houses
The Met is once again opening its doors to audiences of all ages prior to the performances of The Magic Flute, this year’s holiday presentation, on December 29 and
30 at noon. Beginning at 10:30 am, discover the secrets of stage magic, meet Met
artists, and gain insider information with costumes, props, and light displays on
the Grand Tier level. All ticket holders to these performances are welcome.
Welcoming New Audiences
For several years, the Met has been reaching out to new audiences with its successful
Rush Tickets, Met Opera Students, and Young Associates programs. Together with
these initiatives, the popular new “Fridays Under 40,” which launched last season,
returns this fall. Ten Friday performances will be designated for audiences aged 40
and under, with an 8pm start time and opportunities to socialize and learn more
about the Met. For details, visit metopera.org.
The HD Broadcasts are supported by Toll Brothers, America’s luxury home builder.™
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Opera Outlooks
Pre-Performance Talks
Take a closer look at these operas in the Met’s 2016–17 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 $22 public | $20 Guild members | $16 students
Love and Death: The Magic of Tristan und Isolde
THU OCT 13 5–6PM John J. H. Muller
Wagner’s towering drama opens the Met’s 2016–17 season, in a new production
by Mariusz Treliński (who staged the recent double bill of Iolanta and Bluebeard’s
Castle), starring Nina Stemme and Stuart Skelton in the title roles. Lecturer John
J. H. Muller explores this landmark score and the many musical and dramatic layers
that make this opera one of the greatest masterpieces of the repertoire.
Salome: Beyond the Dance of the Seven Veils
MON DEC 5 6–7PM Desirée Mays
The biblical character of Salome, Princess of Judaea, was reborn in the late 19th
century, the era of Symbolism in art, music, and literature, through Oscar Wilde’s
scandalous play. Desirée Mays will discuss the impact of this beautiful and
dangerous femme fatale and Richard Strauss’s operatic adaptation of Wilde’s play,
which proved so daring that it was banned from the Met for almost 30 years after
its first performance.
Susanna Phillips and
Eric Owens in L’Amour de Loin
Photo: Kristian Schuller / metropolitan opera
In Praise of Women: L’Italiana in Algeri
THU OCT 20 6–7PM Jay Lesenger
Written when Rossini was just 21 years old, L’Italiana in Algeri was a hit at its premiere
and maintained a place in the repertoire throughout the 19th and into the 20th
century. A classic example of the composer’s effervescent style, the score overflows
with wit and energy. Join Jay Lesenger as he delves into this comedy about a young
woman determined to save the day and rescue the man she loves.
The Quest for Freedom: Rossini’s Guillaume Tell
WED NOV 2 5–6PM Victoria Bond
Best known today for its rousing overture, Guillaume Tell was Rossini’s final opera,
written before his sudden retirement from the stage at age 37. Its themes of revolution and freedom made Tell a victim of censorship at its 1833 Italian premiere, four
years after its first performance in Paris. Join lecturer Victoria Bond as she discusses
the crowning achievement of Rossini’s operatic career.
Sin and Redemption: Janáček’s Jenůfa
MON NOV 7 6–7PM Harlow Robinson
A gripping story of murder and redemption, Jenůfa has riveted—and sometimes
shocked—audiences since its 1904 premiere. Soprano Karita Mattila, who sang the
title heroine in the Met’s most recent revival a decade ago, now takes on the equally
challenging role of her stepmother, the Kostelnička. Lecturer Harlow Robinson
takes a close look at the music and characters of this psychological drama.
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Of Troubadours, Knights, and Courtly Love: L’Amour de Loin
TUE DEC 6 6–7PM Desirée Mays
Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho’s breakthrough opera L’Amour de Loin, first seen
in 2000 at the Salzburg Festival, is a tender tale of passion and longing set in the
Middle Ages. Desirée Mays explores the leading characters’ “love from afar” (as
expressed in the opera’s title) and discusses Saariaho’s dreamlike, impressionistic
score and its philosophical and lyrical moods.
Nabucco and the Chorus of the People
MON DEC 12 6–7PM Jeffrey Lang ford
Verdi’s breakthrough success and the opera that made his name, Nabucco is the
earliest of the composer’s works to have won a permanent place in the repertoire. Join
Dr. Jeffrey Langford as he connects the familiar and unfamiliar aspects of Verdi’s
youthful hit, including what became one of opera’s most recognizable melodies
and a symbol of the Italian nation in the composer’s time: the celebrated chorus of
the Hebrew slaves, “Va, pensiero.”
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oper a outlooks (continued)
Musical Passion in Roméo et Juliette
TUE JAN 10 6–7PM Jay Lesenger
Gounod’s lushly romantic music and soaring vocal lines add new and unexpected
layers to Shakespeare’s immortal love story. In this lecture, stage director Jay
Lesenger takes audiences through the transformation from play to opera and
explores how Gounod captures in sound the irrepressible passion of the star-crossed
title characters.
Love and Longing in Rusalka
MON FEB 6 6–7PM Naomi Barrettara
With Dvořák’s fairy-tale opera returning to the Met this season in a new production, join lecturer Naomi Barrettara as she explores the score’s musical fabric of
melody, harmony, orchestral colors, and leitmotifs, as well as the work’s performance
history. The folklore behind the beloved story of the “Little Mermaid,” known in
many incarnations, will also be examined.
Idomeneo: Mozart’s First Operatic Masterpiece
MON MAR 13 6–7PM Naomi Barrettara
Written in 1780 on a commission from the Bavarian court, Mozart’s Idomeneo
represents a high point—and one of the last prominent examples—of opera seria,
the predominant operatic style of the 18th century that fell out of fashion during
Mozart’s lifetime. Join lecturer Naomi Barrettara as she explores the historic and
stylistic elements of this work, in which a story drawn from Greek antiquity meets
musical tradition and the innovative touch of Mozart.
Ode to Freedom: Beethoven’s Fidelio
MON MAR 20 6–7PM Victoria Bond
Beethoven’s only opera, a stirring tale of love and humanity, will be seen at the Met
this season for the first time in more than ten years. Join composer and conductor
Victoria Bond as she explores its musical and dramatic themes and examines this
extraordinary work within the context of Beethoven’s life and career.
Poetic Tragedy: Eugene Onegin
MON APR 3 6–7PM Harlow Robinson
Tchaikovsky’s operatic adaptation of Alexander Pushkin’s verse novel retains much
of the original’s poetry, set to a lushly romantic score. Join Harlow Robinson as
he delves into this classic tale of love, loss, and regret and illuminates the musical
devices Tchaikovsky uses to express emotions and story.
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Anna Netrebko in Eugene Onegin
Photo: ken howard / metropolitan opera
Nostalgia and the Passing of Time: Der Rosenkavalier
THU APR 13 5:30–6:30PM W. Anthony Sheppard
Richard Strauss’s most popular stage work, first performed in Dresden in 1911, is one
of the last comic operas to hold a place in the repertoire. Tony Sheppard explores the
work within its historical context, examining Strauss’s use of the waltz—a musical
echo of a bygone age at the time of its premiere but a historic anachronism within
its storyline—as well as other musical and dramatic elements that have kept this
masterpiece on stage for more than a century.
Myth and Mystery: Der Fliegende Holländer
tue APR 25 6–7PM John J. H. Muller
Wagner’s first mature opera, begun when he was 27 years old, marks the emergence
of many of the musical and stylistic elements he would come to develop in his
later works. Join lecturer John J. H. Muller as he examines the musical themes
and leitmotifs that represent the opera’s mysterious title character, the stormy sea,
and the currents of love, passion, and redemptive faith that run through the work.
Rediscovering Cyrano de Bergerac
TUE MAY 2 6–7PM Nimet Habachy
This rediscovered verismo gem by composer Franco Alfano—best known for his
completion of Puccini’s Turandot—had its belated U.S. premiere at the Met in 2005.
Based on Edmond Rostand’s 1897 play (itself inspired by the historic Cyrano de
Bergerac), it tells the tragicomic story of a man whose amorous fortunes are hindered
by his enormous nose and who decides to use his poetic gifts to help his younger
rival win the woman of both men’s dreams. Nimet Habachy explores the music,
history, and background of this rarely heard opera.
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oper a outlooks (continued)
Opera Study Days
Each study day includes two sessions to allow for in-depth discussion.
Part I: 11AM–12:30PM Part II: 2–3:30PM
Tickets per session $24 public | $22 Guild members and students
Exploring Wagner
SAT OCT 1 Jane Marsh
Taking inspiration from this season’s new production of Tristan und Isolde and
revival of Der Fliegende Holländer, this study day provides an in-depth look at the
enormous impact of Richard Wagner on the worlds of music, literature, and theater
within the cultural history of the 19th and 20th centuries. Join Jane Marsh as she
explores his compositional output, offering insights into the evolution of Wagner’s
musical style throughout his life, his influence on future composers—and earlier
composers’ influence on him.
ON THE GO!
OPERA NEWS is also available as a digital edition
for your tablet, smartphone and computer.
From Page to Stage: Literature in Opera
SAT NOV 5 Jeffrey Lang ford
Some of opera’s most enduring stories are based on great works of literature. Join
Guild lecturer Jeffrey Langford as he takes a closer look at plays, poems, and novels
by authors from Shakespeare to Goethe to Wilde that provided source material for
operas seen during the Met’s 2016–17 season.
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The Singers’ Studio
Casual Conversations
In this intimate interview series, some of today’s most exciting artists chat
with the editors of Opera News. Events are held in the Opera Learning
Center, on the 6th floor of the Samuel B. and David Rose Building at
Lincoln Center, unless otherwise noted.
Tickets $30 general public | $28 Guild members and students
In Studio: Sonya Yoncheva
Thu Mar 2 6–7 PM
The brilliant Bulgarian soprano Sonya Yoncheva
returns to the Met this spring to sing Violetta in La
Traviata. She joins Opera News Editor-in-Chief F. Paul
Driscoll for a conversation about her fast-rising career.
In Studio: Ailyn Pérez
Wed Oct 5 6–7 PM
American soprano Ailyn Pérez returns to the Met this
season for her first company performances of Mimì in
La Bohème. Opera News Editor-in-Chief F. Paul Driscoll
talks to the soprano about her work in the world’s great
opera houses.
In Studio: Michael Fabiano
Wed Mar 15 6–7 PM
Richard Tucker Award winner Michael Fabiano sings
Puccini’s Rodolfo and Verdi’s Alfredo at the Met this
season. Opera News Digital Editor Adam Wasserman
joins the tenor in conversation.
In Studio: Jamie Barton
Tue Feb 14 6–7 PM
Mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton sings the witch Ježibaba
in this season’s new production of Rusalka. The 2013
winner of the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition chats with Opera News Digital Editor Adam
Wasserman.
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In Studio: Robin Ticciati
Tue Apr 4 6–7 PM
Conductor Robin Ticciati, the music director of
Glyndebourne Opera, conducts Tchaikovsky’s Eugene
Onegin at the Met this season. He sits down for a chat
with Opera News Editor-in-Chief F. Paul Driscoll.
In Studio: Diana Damrau,
Javier Camarena, Alexey Markov,
Luca Pisaroni
A Masterclass
and Conversation:
Patricia Racette
Wed Feb 15 6–7 PM Reception to follow the stanley H. Kaplan penthouse
in the Samuel B. and David Rose Building
Interview tickets $45 |
Reception (limited capacity) and Interview $100
Sun Apr 23 4–5:30 PM bruno walter auditorium
Master Class and Conversation tickets
$35 general public | $30 Guild members
and students
This season’s revival of I Puritani at the Met
gathers an all-star cast worthy of comparison
with the opera’s original “Puritani Quartet”
of 1835. Join Diana Damrau, Javier Camarena,
Alexey Markov, and Luca Pisaroni as they
discuss Bellini’s score with Opera News Editorin-Chief F. Paul Driscoll.
Patricia Racette, one of the Met’s most
admired stars, shares her insights on the
singing actor’s craft as she leads a master
class with two young singers. A conversation with Ms. Racette and Opera News
Editor-in-Chief F. Paul Driscoll follows
the masterclass.
17
Masterly Singing
Master Classes and Vocal Showcases
These master classes and showcases explore aspects 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.
Master Class: Eugene Onegin
SUN MAR 26 4–5:30PM Jane Marsh, Master Teacher
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.
In his setting of Eugene Onegin, Tchaikovsky brought sweepingly romantic melody to
Pushkin’s irony-tinged novel in verse. Called “Lyrical Scenes” by the composer, the
opera tells the story of a bored and cynical young man who lives to regret his rash
rejection of a country girl’s honest love. Jane Marsh guides three singers through
the musical highlights of this much-loved work.
Tickets $30 public | $28 Guild members and students
Tickets for the showcase on October 23 $35 public | $30 Guild members and students
Featuring Vira Slywotzky, soprano; Xiaoming Tian, baritone; Bray Wilkins, tenor;
and Eric Sedgwick, pianist
A German Repertoire Showcase
SUN OCT 23 4–5:30PM Jane Marsh, Host
Bruno Walter Auditorium at the New York Public Library of the Performing Arts
The Met’s 2016–17 season includes works by three great German composers:
Beethoven, Wagner, and Strauss. Join Jane Marsh as she presents two singers in
this heroic repertoire, traversing the Classical and Romantic eras into the early
20th century.
You may also be interested in...
The Metropolitan Opera Guild’s
High School Opera Singers Intensive
Featuring Bryan Glenn Davis, baritone; Elizabeth Beers-Kataria, soprano;
and Mitchell Cirker, pianist
Master Class: La Traviata
SUN FEB 26 4–5:30PM Jane Marsh, Master Teacher
During the highly productive middle period of his career, Verdi created some of his
most enduringly popular operas, including what might be his most beloved work:
La Traviata. Join master teacher Jane Marsh as she works with young artists on the
opera’s two central roles, Violetta and Alfredo, examining the vocal and dramatic
challenges of this masterpiece.
Featuring Claire Coolen, soprano; Michael-Paul Krubitzer, tenor;
and Eric Sedgwick, pianist
Master Teacher Jessica French shares career
advice with high school students.
Photo: metropolitan opera guild / rebecca sullivan
Soprano Julianne Borg accepts the applause
of the Guild audience at a masterclass last fall.
Photo: metropolitan opera guild / rebecca sullivan
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The Guild is proud to offer a one-week High School Opera Singers Intensive, a
program 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 Monday
through Friday from 10am to 4pm.
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Musical Chairs
Conversations on a Life in Music
In this popular series, the Guild’s Executive Director of Program
Development, Paul Gruber, hosts conversations with three great artists—
events that are sure to be both entertaining and revealing. Each discussion
will include photo reminiscences and rare performance video clips.
Events are held at the Opera Learning Center, on the 6th floor of the Samuel
B. and David Rose Building at Lincoln Center.
Ticket package $120 public | $112 Guild members and students
Individual tickets $30 public | $28 Guild members and students
Thomas Hampson
WED MAR 8 6–7:30PM
Thomas Hampson’s Met career has spanned the works of
Mozart, Rossini, Verdi, Wagner, Britten, Berlioz, Berg,
Massenet, and Bellini. Also one of the world’s most
acclaimed recitalists, he has left an indelible mark on
the worlds of opera and song. This season marks the
30th anniversary of his Met debut.
Donald Palumbo
Star Turns:
The Best of the Guild
Artists’ Tributes
WED Nov 16 6–7:30PM
One of the world’s most esteemed choral conductors,
Donald Palumbo has served as the Met’s Chorus Master
since 2007, after leading the choruses of the Lyric Opera
of Chicago, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, the Canadian
Opera Company, the Salzburg Festival, and a number
of companies and festivals throughout France. Within
less than a decade, he has raised the artistic level of the
Met Chorus to new and unprecedented heights.
THU APR 27 6–7:30PM
James Morris
WED FEB 8 6–7:30PM
Now in his 47th Met season, James Morris has performed
nearly 60 different roles with the company, including
legendary portrayals of Wagner’s Wotan, Hans Sachs,
and Dutchman, Britten’s Claggart, Mozart’s Don
Giovanni, Verdi’s King Philip and Iago, and Puccini’s
Scarpia. In close to 1,000 Met performances, he has
appeared opposite virtually every great singer of the
past five decades.
20
Paul Gruber shares a moment of laughter
with Grace Bumbry in a previous Musical
Chairs interview.
From the Guild Luncheons, “Met
Legends”, and “Mastersingers”
series to the Opera News Awards and
special memorials, the Metropolitan
Opera Guild has paid tribute to
hundreds of the greatest Met artists.
Paul Gruber will present rare video
excerpts from these unique events,
including biographies, interview
segments, and performance clips,
and offer a backstage view of
working with these extraordinary
operatic personalities.
21
Score-Desk Tickets
Backstage Tours
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.
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.*
Tickets at $12 public | $10 Guild members | $8 students
Tours begin and end in the Met lobby and are held during the Met season
on most weekdays at 3 pm and some Sundays at 10:30 am and 1:30 pm.
Tickets are available for all Met performances. Galas and special events may be purchased
at a higher ticket price.
Tickets at $25 public | $23 Guild members | $20 students and groups of 10 or more
Backstage tour reservations are non-refundable and non-transferable.
Tours for groups of 10 or more go on sale in September 2016. Regular tours are available
to the general public beginning late September 2016. We recommend purchasing as far
in advance of your desired tour date as possible, as space is limited and tours tend to
sell out. Children under the age of 8 are not permitted on tours due to safety concerns.
*Please note that due to rehearsal and performance activities in a working opera house, not all areas
may be available on every tour.
Photo: jonathan tichler / metropolitan opera
Many piano-vocal scores are available from our lending library, including:
22
Aida
Der Fliegende Holländer
Roméo et Juliette
Il Barbiere di Siviglia
Idomeneo
Der Rosenkavalier
La Bohème
L’Italiana in Algeri
Salome
Carmen
Manon Lescaut
La Traviata
Don Giovanni
Nabucco
Tristan und Isolde
Eugene Onegin
I Puritani
Werther
Fidelio
Rigoletto
Die Zauberflöte
(German only)
A view of the Met stage during a technical rehearsal
PHOTO: Jonathan Tichler/metropolitan Opera
23
Ordering Community Engagement
Event Tickets
CALL
MAIL
ONLINE
212.769.7028 Mon–Fri 10am – 4pm
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
SAVE THESE DATES!
Metropolitan Opera Guild Public Programs
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2016
at 12:15 PM
FOR MORE
INFORMATION,
CALL 212.769.7009,
OR VISIT
METGUILD.ORG
Visit us at metguild.org.
Select For the Community or the online calendar to view all
Lectures and Community Engagement events.
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 and online store,
on Guild community programs, backstage tours—and much more.
THE 82ND ANNUAL // METROPOLITAN OPERA GUILD // LUNCHEON
STERLING SILVER
Celebrating Susan Graham, Ben Heppner & Deborah Voigt
on the 25th Anniversaries of Their Met Debuts
GRAND BALLROOM • THE WALDORF ASTORIA
©B. EALOVEGA (GRAHAM); KRISTIN HOEBERMANN (HEPPNER); HEIDI GUTMAN (VOIGT); DARIO ACOSTA (PLAZA)
Join the Metropolitan Opera Guild
LLoyd E. R igLER — L awREncE E. dEutsch Foundation
PRESIDENT’S CIRCLE SPONSOR
ANNUAL MEMBERSHIPS BEGIN AT $85*
SUPPORTING MEMBERS ($150) enjoy priority ticketing for Met performances,
advance access to Live in HD tickets at participating cinemas in the U.S. and Canada
during a Members’ Priority Period in the summer, exclusive online content, including
access to the latest radio broadcast for one week after the live airing during the season,
and more.
SUNDAY,
APRIL 9, 2017
DONOR MEMBERS ($500) are invited to visit the Belmont Room, a members-only
lounge, to enjoy refreshments 45 minutes prior to a performance and during intermissions.
THE 12TH ANNUAL
SPONSOR MEMBERS ($850) receive all of the Guild benefits above, a copy of the
Met Season Book, dress rehearsal passes, and more.
For information about Metropolitan Opera Guild membership visit
metopera.org/membership 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 each event. All programs, presenters, panelists, and artists are 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.
*Please note: The estimated value of non-deductible goods and services at the National, Supporting, Contributing, and
Donor levels is $25. At the Sponsor, Fellow, and Benefactor levels, the estimated value of non-deductible goods and
services is $50.
24
at 6:00 PM
OPERA NEWS
AWARDS
At this gala dinner, five great
artists will be presented
with the highest honor given
by the opera industry.
GR AND BALLROOM • THE PL AZA
LLoyd E. R igLER — L awREncE E. dEutsch Foundation
PRESIDENT’S CIRCLE SPONSOR
25
Love opera? Learn more.
Courses of Study
Podcast
FREE OPERA CONTENT
AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD
iTunes.com • soundcloud.com
26
A scene from Die Zauberflöte
PHOTO: marty sohl/metropolitan opera
Courses of Study
Saturday Score Reading
Orchestral Score Reading: An Introduction Naomi Barrettara
SAT OCT 8 11–12:30PM & 2–3:30PM
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. This introductory course will specifically focus on reading
orchestral scores, providing participants with an opportunity to explore how all the different
compositional choices and musical elements of an operatic performance fit together. Basic
musical elements such as notation vocabulary, interpretive markings (tempo, dynamics,
and articulation), and combinations of instruments (orchestration) will be discussed, as
well as strategies for successfully following along on the page.
Participants will be provided with annotated orchestral scores for all excerpts covered in
the class. Beginner-level ability to read music is recommended.
Two-session registration $50 public | $46 Guild members and students (individual sessions
not available)
Score Reading: Aria Jukebox Naomi Barrettara
SAT FEB 25 11AM–12:30PM & 2–3:30PM
Arias in opera can take many different shapes—from dramatic declarations of love to
ornamented mad scenes to mournful farewells and laments. This two-part score-reading
study day is dedicated to exploring the music of some of this season’s greatest arias,
covering a variety of styles, forms, and composers. Learn more about the history and
evolution of aria structure, musical conventions, and types of singing as we traverse the
2016–17 Met repertoire.
Crash Courses
Explore the basics of reading a score in these casual, small-group Saturday sessions. Crash
Courses delve into the musical highlights of the featured opera, giving beginning and
intermediate readers the tools to explore the intricate workings of a 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 Guillaume Tell and Idomeneo will only include
annotated selections from the piano-vocal scores, due to the operas’ length.
Individual sessions $35 for class and materials only | $40 with added score-desk seat for
performance. All 6 sessions with score-desk seat $240.
SAT OCT 15 5–6:30PM
L’ITALIANA IN ALGERI
SAT NOV 12 10–11:30AM
GUILLAUME TELL
SAT DEC 3 10–11:30AM
MANON LESCAUT
SAT JAN 21 10–11:30AM
ROMÉO ET JULIETTE
SAT MAR 25 10–11:30AM
IDOMENEO
SAT APR 22 10–11:30AM
EUGENE ONEGIN
Participants will be provided with annotated piano-vocal scores for all excerpts covered
in the class. Beginner-level ability to read music is recommended.
Two-session registration $50 public | $46 Guild members and students (individual sessions
not available)
Students enjoy a lively discussion during their Saturday score reading class.
Photo: Metropolitan Opera Guild/ Rebecca Sullivan Courses of Study continued on next page
28
29
courses of study (continued)
Opera Boot Camp: A Guide to Listening
Naomi Barrettara
What makes one composer’s musical style sound different or distinct from
another’s? How did composers expand the orchestra or break down traditional operatic conventions? How were they influenced by those who came
before them, or what impact did they have on later generations? Join lecturer
Naomi Barrettara as she delves into these and other questions, surveying
the styles of composers in the Met’s 2016–17 season.
Full course registration $80 public | $72 Guild members
Individual sessions $22 | $20 Guild members and students
Part 1: From Mozart’s Classicism to Beethoven’s
Romantic Innovations
SAT SEP 17 11AM–12:30PM
We begin our exploration by examining the elements of Mozart’s classical style and the
emotionally charged innovations of Beethoven. What makes Mozart’s music resonate
so strongly with audiences? How does the music of Beethoven act as a bridge between
the Classical and Romantic eras? Learn about these two composers’ different musical
personalities and the background of their operatic works.
Mozart
Part 2: Wagner and His Musical Sound
SAT SEP 17 2–3:30PM
Richard Wagner was one of opera’s great revolutionaries who changed the history of
music. This lecture will look at the musical and dramatic ideas that set him apart as one of
the most innovative forces in opera. Topics will include his use of leitmotifs, elements of
harmony (including the famous “Tristan chord”), through-composed structures and the
concept of “endless melody,” as well as the creation of new musical instruments and the
expansion of theatrical possibilities.
Part 3: A Post-Wagnerian Sound World across Europe
SAT SEP 24 11am–12:30PM
How did Wagner’s innovations influence other composers who came after him? Did
composers in other countries merge his ideas with their styles, or did they forge their
own paths? In this third session we will delve into the operatic landscape of Europe after
Wagner, examining how composers such as Gounod, Massenet, Dvořák, and Strauss were
influenced by his accomplishments and pushed the art form in new directions.
Part 4: Comparing and Contrasting Musical Styles in History
SAT SEP 24 2–3:30PM
What if Mozart, Beethoven, Wagner, and Puccini were all given the same melody or story?
Is it possible to imagine how each composer would have treated them differently in an
operatic setting? This fascinating (if hypothetical) question will form the starting point of
this culminating lecture, in which we will compare and contrast the stylistic hallmarks of
the composers covered in the previous sessions, with musical examples and discussions
of compositional approach and dramatic process.
Beethoven
Wagner
Puccini
Courses of Study continued on next page
30
31
courses of study (continued)
Opera Boot Camp:
Russian, Slavic, and French Repertoire
NAOMI BARRETTARA
Set design for Act V of the
Met’s 1911 production of
Roméo et Juliette
Photo: White Studio/
Metropolitan Opera Archives
The lineup of the Met’s 2016–17 season features a variety of operas from
the French, Slavic, and Russian romantic repertoire, as well as a contemporary work by a Finnish composer. Join guild lecturer Naomi Barrettara
as she explores the lives of these operas’ creators as well as the historical
background, musical style, and cultural milieu of each work.
Full course registration $80 | $72 Guild members
Individual sessions $22 | $20 Guild members and students
Part 1: Tchaikovsky and the Russian Romantic Musical Landscape
SAT FEB 4 11–12:30PM
In this first lecture of the series we will focus on the life and musical style of Tchaikovsky, the
evolution of his Eugene Onegin from Pushkin’s novel to the operatic stage, and elements
of the opera that have contributed to its lasting popularity.
Part 2: Czech Opera at the Turn of the Century
SAT FEB 4 2–3:30PM
Antonín Dvořák and Leoš Janáček both stood with one foot in the Romantic era and one
in the modern era, and both their musical styles were inspired by Slavic and Moravian
folk music. In this second lecture, we will focus on Dvořák’s lyrical fairy tale Rusalka and
Janáček’s gripping drama Jenůfa, two works that put the Czech operatic tradition on the
historical map.
Part 3: Late French Romanticism and the Belle Époque
SAT FEB 11 11–12:30PM
Both based on towering masterworks of literature, Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette and
Massenet’s Werther are two of the most beloved works in the Romantic French repertoire.
In this third lecture, we will delve into the musical style of the period, the compositional
evolution and inspiration behind these operas, and their cultural context and performance
histories.
Part 4: French Roots in Operas of the 20th and 21st Centuries
SAT FEB 11 2–3:30PM
Franco Alfano’s name is most closely associated today with his work on completing Puccini’s
Turandot. His 1936 opera Cyrano de Bergerac, written for the French stage and based
on Edmond Rostand’s play, provides us with a chance to get to know this composer and
explore the post-Puccinian influences on his music. In an entirely different vein, Finnish
composer Kaija Saariaho’s L’Amour de Loin, written for the 2000 Salzburg Festival to a
French libretto, combines orchestral, choral, and electronic sound worlds in a tale of love
and longing inspired by the historical figure of a 12th century French troubadour. In this
final session of the series, we will get to know the life and style of these two very different
composers and explore the French influences behind their works.
Set design for Act I of the Met’s U.S.
premiere production of Jenůfa, 1924
Photo: White Studio/Metropolitan Opera Archives
Courses of Study continued on next page
32
33
courses of study (continued)
Opera in Pop Culture
Exploring Mozart
WILLIAM BERGER
JANE MARSH
With its history of four centuries, the operatic art form has found its way
into many aspects of pop culture. From TV commercials to bestselling
books to heavy metal music, opera and its themes are part of our lives in
ways we may not always realize. Join William Berger as he explores these
familiar and unexpected connections.
Mozart’s works are known and loved around the world, but the musical
influences he drew from and the development of his compositional style
are less familiar topics. In this three-week course, Jane Marsh showcases
six singers while exploring Mozart’s life and times, his stylistic identity
and diversity, and the evolution of his genius through operas heard in the
Met’s 2016–17 season.
Full course registration $60 | $54 Guild members
Individual sessions $22 | $20 Guild members and students
Opera in Literature
MON OCT 10 5:30–7PM
Opera in Popular Music
MON OCT 17 5:30–7PM
Opera in Film
MON OCT 24 5:30–7PM
William Berger shares some insights during a course on Puccini.
PHOTO: Metropolitan Opera Guild / lacey upton
34
Full course registration $72 | $60 Guild members
Individual sessions $25 | $22 Guild members and students
Don Giovanni
Die Zauberflöte
Idomeneo
THU NOV 3 2–3:30PM
THU NOV 10 2–3:30PM
THU NOV 17 2–3:30PM Featuring Jennifer Goode
Cooper, soprano; Sean
Cooper, bass-baritone; and
Joan Krueger, pianist
Featuring Laura Strickling,
soprano; Branch Fields,
bass; and Joan Krueger,
pianist
Featuring Michele Sexton,
soprano; Kerem Kurk,
tenor; and Joan Krueger,
pianist
Mariusz Kwiecien in the title role of
Don Giovanni
Markus Werba as Papageno in
Die Zauberflöte
Photo: Marty Sohl / Metropolitan Opera
Photo: Marty Sohl / Metropolitan Opera
35
courses of study (continued)
Behind the Gold Curtain: Arts and Artisans at the Met
Verdi All-Stars
Stuart Holt
IRA SIFF
In this series of conversations, the Guild’s Director of School Programs and
Community Engagement, Stuart Holt, joins Metropolitan Opera musicians,
artisans, and administrators for an inside look at the workings of one of
the world’s major performing arts institutions.
In this three-part series, Met broadcast commentator Ira Siff will take a
close look at memorable performances of the works of Verdi, featuring some
of opera’s greatest stars, past and present.
Full course registration $60 | $54 Guild members
Individual sessions $22 | $20 Guild members and students
Meet the Orchestra
THU MAR 9 6–7PM
While conductors and singers change from opera to opera throughout the season, the
orchestra provides the constant musical framework that holds each performance together.
In this special event, members of the Met Orchestra will provide an exclusive look at
what goes on in the pit below the stage, discussing the challenges of rehearsing multiple
productions at the same time and working with different conductors. They will also share
personal stories of the career paths that brought them to the Met.
Full course registration $72 | $60 Guild members
Individual sessions $25 | $22 Guild members and students
WED APR 26 11–12:30
WED MAY 3 11–12:30
WED MAY 10 11–12:30
The Making of a New Production
THU MAR 16 6–7PM
Most Met productions are planned approximately five years in advance. Members of the
company’s Music Administration and Production departments will discuss what goes
into creating a new production, from the musical to the technical side to everything
in between—including the process of casting singers, working with set and costume
designers, and much more.
Enrico Caruso as the Duke
in Rigoletto,1903
Carlo Bergonzi as
Radamès in Aida,1956
Leonard Warren in the title
role of Rigoletto, 1943
Virginia Zeani as Violetta
in La Traviata, 1966
Promoting Opera in the 21st Century
THU MAR 23 6–7PM
The social and cultural landscape is changing quickly, and the art of promoting opera performances must evolve along with it. Members of the Met’s Marketing and Communication
departments, together with a special guest singer, will talk about the challenges of bringing
opera into the digital age. Learn about changing models of ticket buying, social media
engagement with artists, creating new benefits for audiences, and more.
Photos: Metropolitan Opera archives / Aimé Dupont (Caruso) / Louis Melançon (Bergonzi, zeani)
36
37
Lecturers, Presenters, and Teachers
Naomi Barrettara Naomi Barrettara is a Program Development Consultant and
staff lecturer at the Guild, where she is involved with several community programs,
including Opera Boot Camp, Score Reading, and Opera Outlooks. She is also
the host and co-producer of the Metropolitan Opera Guild Podcast, as well as a
copywriter for the Met’s HD Live in Schools Educator Guides. She holds a Master
of Arts in Music and a Master of Philosophy from the Graduate Center, CUNY, in
New York City, where she is currently a PhD candidate in Musicology. Her main
research areas include opera, public musicology, and classical music in the digital age.
William Berger is the author of several books, including Wagner Without Fear, Verdi
With a Vengeance, and Puccini Without Excuses, and 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 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.
Victoria Bond’s dual career as composer and conductor has won her praise from
the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. She has been commissioned by
institutions including American Ballet Theatre, Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival,
Houston Symphony, and Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, and her compositions
have also been performed by the Dallas Symphony, New York City Opera, Saint
Paul Chamber Orchestra, and musicians from the New York Philharmonic, among
others. The first woman awarded a doctorate in orchestral conducting from the
Juilliard School, she regularly appears as a guest conductor throughout the U.S.,
Europe, South America, and China. Ms. Bond has served as music director of the
New Amsterdam and Roanoke Symphony Orchestras; artistic director of Opera
Roanoke, Harrisburg Opera, and Bel Canto Opera; music adviser of the Wuhan
Symphony in China; principal guest conductor of Chamber Opera Chicago; and
assistant conductor of New York City Opera.
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 have kept her an audience favorite.
Stuart Holt serves as Director of School Programs and Community Engagement
for the Metropolitan Opera Guild, overseeing all K–12 school and community/adult
programming. He is an active lecturer, master teacher, stage director, and resource
38
for the field of opera education. Recent appearances have included panels for
Manhattan School of Music, the American Musicological Society, Opera Volunteers
International, Opera America, New York University, the Met’s HD Live in Schools
program, and Brown University, where he has also been a master teacher. Directing
credits include work for Nashville Opera, Tallahassee Little Theatre, James Madison
University, Florida State University, and the Metropolitan Opera Guild. He has
also served on grant review panels for Florida State University, the Community
Foundation of Middle Tennessee, and the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. He
holds a Bachelor’s degree in music education from St. Cloud State University in St.
Cloud, Minnesota, and a Masters in opera production from Florida State University.
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 and of Evenings
at the Opera: An Exploration of the Basic Repertoire. Dr. Langford also serves as the
Administrative Director of a new summer chamber music festival, Manhattan in
the Mountains, which takes place in Hunter, New York in July and August.
Jay Lesenger has created more than 200 opera productions across the country
and internationally during his career spanning over 35 years as a stage director,
administrator, and teacher. He spent two decades as General and Artistic Director
and principal stage director of Chautauqua Opera from 1995 to 2015. 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 jury member for the Metropolitan
Opera National Council Auditions.
Soprano Jane Marsh was the first singer to win the Gold Medal at 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. Her music anthology
Spirit Be Joyful!, for which she created the singing translations and transliterations,
was published 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.
39
Lec turers, Presenters, and Teachers (continued)
Calendar of Events
Desirée Mays lectures both live and on radio across the U.S., has written 18 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 Metropolitan
Opera Guild, for Wagner Societies, and for leading American opera companies.
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.
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 Guild and presented talks for
many Met performances of Wagner’s Ring cycle, including those of the Mariinsky
Theater at the 2007 Lincoln Center Festival. He has also lectured for 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.
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.
Dr. W. Anthony Sheppard is Professor of Music at Williams College, with
degrees from Princeton University and Amherst College. He specializes in 20thand 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 has
won acclaim from press and public around the world. A voice teacher and coach
for the past 40 years, he also gives master classes, directs, lectures on opera, writes
for Opera News, and has, since 2007, served as on-air commentator for the Met’s
Saturday matinee radio broadcasts.
AUGUST
FRI AUG 26 5:30PM
Amadeus HD Lectures
SAT AUG 27 5:30PM
Le Nozze di Figaro HD Lectures
SUN AUG 28 5:30PM
Il Trovatore HD Lectures
MON AUG 29 5:30PM Otello HD Lectures
TUE AUG 30 5:30PM
La Fille du Régiment HD Lectures
WED AUG 31 5:30PM Lucia di Lammermoor HD Lectures
SEPTEMBER
THU SEP 1 5:30PM
La Cenerentola HD Lectures
FRI SEP 2 5:30PM
Cavalleria Rusticana/Pagliacci HD Lectures
SAT SEP 3 5:30PM
The Merry Widow HD Lectures
SUN SEP 4 5:30PM
Turandot HD Lectures
MON SEP 5 5:30PM
Les Pêcheurs de Perles HD Lectures
SAT SEP 17 11AM
Boot Camp: From Mozart’s Classicism to Beethoven’s Romantic Innovations
Barrettara
SAT SEP 17 2PM
Boot Camp: Wagner and His Musical Sound
Barrettara
SAT SEP 24 11AM
Boot Camp: A Post-Wagnerian
Sound World across Europe
Barrettara
SAT SEP 24 2PM
Barrettara
Boot Camp: Comparing and Contrasting
Musical Styles in History
OCTOBER
40
SAT OCT 1 11AM
Study Day: Exploring Wagner Part I
Marsh
SAT OCT 1 2PM
Study Day: Exploring Wagner Part II
Marsh
WED OCT 5 6PM
Singers’ Studio: Ailyn PérezDriscoll
41
2016 –17 Calendar of Events (continued)
SAT OCT 8 11AM
Orchestral Score Reading: An Introduction Part I
Barrettara
SAT OCT 8 2PM
Orchestral Score Reading: An Introduction Part II
Barrettara
MON OCT 10 5:30PM Opera in Pop Culture: Opera in Literature
Berger
THU OCT 13 5PM
Outlook: Tristan und Isolde
Muller
SAT OCT 15 5PM
Score Reading: L’Italiana in Algeri MON OCT 17 5:30PM Opera in Pop Culture: Opera in Popular Music Barrettara
Berger
THU OCT 20 6PM
Outlook: L’Italiana in AlgeriLesenger
SUN OCT 23 4PM
Masterly Singing: A German Repertoire Showcase
Bruno Walter Auditorium
MON OCT 24 5:30PM Opera in Pop Culture: Opera in Film
Marsh Berger
NOVEMBER
WED NOV 2 5PM
Outlook: Guillaume Tell THU NOV 3 2PM
Exploring Mozart: Don Giovanni
SAT NOV 5 11AM
Study Day: From Page to Stage: Literature in Opera Part ILangford
SAT NOV 5 2PM
Study Day: From Page to Stage: Literature in Opera Part IILangford
MON NOV 7 6PM
Outlook: Jenůfa
THU NOV 10 2PM
Exploring Mozart: Die Zauberflöte
SAT NOV 12 10AM
Score Reading: Guillaume Tell WED NOV 16 6PM
Donald Palumbo THU NOV 17 2PM
Exploring Mozart: Idomeneo
Bond
Marsh
Robinson
Marsh
Barrettara
Gruber TUE JAN 10 6PM
Outlook: Roméo et Juliette Lesenger
SAT JAN 21 10AM
Score Reading: Roméo et Juliette Barrettara
SAT FEB 4 11AM
Boot Camp: Tchaikovsky and the
Russian Romantic Musical Landscape
Barrettara SAT FEB 4 2PM
Boot Camp: Czech Opera at the Turn of the Century
Barrettara
MON FEB 6 6PM
Outlook: Rusalka
Barrettara
WED FEB 8 6PM
James Morris SAT FEB 11 11AM
Boot Camp: Late French Romanticism
and the Belle Époque
Barrettara SAT FEB 11 2PM
Boot Camp: French Roots in
Operas of the 20th and 21st Centuries
Barrettara TUE FEB 14 6PM
Singers’ Studio: Jamie BartonWasserman
WED FEB 15 6PM
Singers’ Studio: Diana Damrau, Driscoll FEBRUARY
Gruber Musical Chairs
Javier Camarena, Alexey Markov, Luca Pisaroni
SAT FEB 25 11AM
Score Reading: Aria Jukebox Part I
Barrettara
SAT FEB 25 2PM
Score Reading: Aria Jukebox Part II
Barrettara
SUN FEB 26 4PM
Masterly Singing: La Traviata Master Class kaplan penthouse
Marsh
Musical Chairs
Marsh
DECEMBER
42
JANUARY
MARCH
THU MAR 2 6PM
Singers’ Studio: Sonya Yoncheva Driscoll
WED MAR 8 6PM
Thomas Hampson
Gruber Musical Chairs
SAT DEC 3 10AM
Score Reading: Manon Lescaut
MON DEC 5 6PM
Outlook: Salome Mays
THU MAR 9 6PM
Behind the Gold Curtain: Meet the Orchestra Holt
TUE DEC 6 6PM
Outlook: L’Amour de Loin
Mays
MON MAR 13 6PM
Outlook: Idomeneo MON DEC 12 6PM
Outlook: Nabucco Langford
WED MAR 15 6PM
Singers’ Studio: Michael Fabiano Wasserman
Barrettara
Barrettara
43
Metropolitan Opera Guild
Board of Directors
2016 –17 Calendar of Events (continued)
THU MAR 16 6PM
Behind the Gold Curtain: Holt The Making of a New Production
MON MAR 20 6PM
Outlook: Fidelio
THU MAR 23 6PM
Behind the Gold Curtain: Holt Promoting Opera in the 21st Century
SAT MAR 25 10AM
Score Reading: Idomeneo SUN MAR 26 4PM
Masterly Singing: Eugene Onegin Masterclass Bond
Barrettara
Marsh
APRIL
MON APR 3 6PM
Outlook: Eugene Onegin
TUE APR 4 6PM
Singers’ Studio: Robin TicciatiDriscoll
THU APR 13 6PM
Outlook: Der Rosenkavalier Sheppard
SAT APR 22 10AM
Score Reading: Eugene Onegin
SUN APR 23 4PM
Singers’ Studio: A Master ClassDriscoll and Conversation with Patricia Racette Bruno Walter Auditorium
TUE APR 25 6PM
Outlook: Der Fliegende Holländer
WED APR 26 11AM
Verdi All-Stars Part ISiff
Thu Apr 27 6PM
Star Turns: The Best of the Guild Artists’ Tributes
Musical Chairs
Robinson
Barrettara
Muller
Gruber MAY
TUE MAY 2 6PM
Outlook: Cyrano de Bergerac Habachy
WED MAY 3 11AM
Verdi All-Stars Part II Siff
WED MAY 10 11AM
Verdi All-Stars Part IIISiff
Christian Alfonsi
Anastasia A. Angelova
Robert E. Bierman
Mrs. Schuyler G. Chapin
Marc Chazaud
Edmée de M. Firth
Carole Bailey French
Robert R. Glauber
John Hargraves
Elaine Hochberg
Stuart H. Johnson, III
Sandra S. Joys
Mrs. Kerryn King
Stephen C. Koval
Theodore A. Kurz
Ellen F. Marcus
Louis Miano
Richard J. Miller, Jr.
Christopher S. Moore
Mrs. Peter H. Nicholas
Dr. Ebbie Parsons, III
Sondra Krisher Rapaport
Winthrop Rutherfurd, Jr.
Christopher Serbagi
Marc S. Solomon
Dr. Garry Spector
Ellsworth George Stanton III
Langdon Van Norden, Jr.
Basilia Yao
Ex Officio
Judith-Ann Corrente
Ann Ziff
Artists’ Council
Martina Arroyo
Harolyn Blackwell
Rosalind Elias
Michael Fabiano
Susan Graham
Denyce Graves
Thomas Hampson
Eric Owens
Ailyn Pérez
Roberta Peters
Patricia Racette
Frederica von Stade
Emeritus Council
Susan S. Braddock
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
Patricia F. Sullivan
Elizabeth S. Tunick
George C. White
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,
Dr. Lee McCormick Edwards Charitable 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
45
Alice
Tully
Hall
The
Juilliard
School
Walter
Reade
Theater
It is our privilege to thank the many individuals, foundations,
West 65th Street
the Metropolitan Opera Guild’s mission. Our programs foster a
school classrooms, taking audiences inside and backstage at the
opera house, and presenting the lectures, interviews, and master
David
Geffen
Hall
NY Public
Library for the
Performing
Arts
community of learners of all ages by bringing opera directly into
B ro
Beaumont,
Newhouse,
and Tow
Theaters
and volunteers that make all of our education programs possible.
For more than 80 years, education has been a central part of
Film
Society of
Lincoln
Center
adw
ay
e
Rose Building
Opera Learning
Center 6th Fl.
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.
Thank You!
Katherine Delaney
Director of Development
[email protected]
212.769.7025.
46
Columbus Avenue
Empire
Hotel
learning, please contact:
Rosa
Mexicano
To learn more about how you can support education and lifelong
David H.
Koch
Theater
offer to engage and learn about this exciting art form.
Damrosch
Park
our website at metguild.org and explore the opportunities we
Metropolitan
Opera House
that helped to bring these opportunities to the community. Visit
Amsterdam Avenue
much-needed private funding we received and the many volunteers
West 62nd Street
served more than 23,000 students and adults, in part thanks to the
West 63rd Street
Last year, the Metropolitan Opera Guild’s diverse programming
Samuel B. and David Rose Building
70 Lincoln Center Plaza
The Rose Building is fully ADA compliant.
e=elevator location
classes you see here.
47
Lectures and Community Engagement
70 Lincoln Center Plaza
New York, NY 10023-6593