2010-2011 Adult Education Class Schedule:

Since opera's beginnings in the late sixteenth century, poets and composers have often turned to the mythological figure of Orpheus as a potent symbol of music's expressive potential, capable of affecting the behavior of humans, gods and goddesses, and the natural world. This was certainly the case for Christoph Willibald Gluck, who with his librettist Raniero Calzabigi offered Orfeo ed Euridice to Viennese audiences on October 5, 1762. Orfeo was the first of Gluck's "reform" operas, in which he and his collaborators sought to bring opera into line with new aesthetic goals of naturalness and simplicity. Yet the choice of Greek mythology's best known musician as an operatic subject also poses a daunting challenge to a composer, who must create a protagonist whose music appears able to achieve the supernatural effects attributed to it. Kelley Harness from the University of Minnesota will look at Gluck's creative solutions to this problem, examining Orfeo ed Euridice as part of a long tradition of Orpheus operas dating back to 1600.

Join guest speaker Daniel Freeman as he takes you through Rossini's setting of the immortal fairy tale Cinderella (known in Italian as La Cenerentola). The combination of a story well known to audience members even before their arrival in the opera house and the music of a composer who offers nothing but pleasures to his listeners has clearly stood the test of time since the opera first appeared in 1817. There may be no glass slipper and no fairy godmother in this version, but the tale of a virtuous girl oppressed by family members who succeeds in marrying the man of her dreams is as satisfying in Rossini's hands as in anyone else's. Amusing comic incidents and characterizations freshly introduced for his setting fully compensate for elements missing from more familiar versions.

Donizetti's opera Mary Stuart, based upon Schiller's play of the same name, proved to be so controversial that it was banned twice in Italy after censors learned that Mary calls Elizabeth I a "vile bastard" in their scene of confrontation. One begins to sense why, in true life, Queen Elizabeth I refused to meet Mary Stuart, whom she nevertheless condemned to death. Minnesota Opera's Head of Music Mary Dibbern will discuss the historical background of the conflict between these ladies, and the transformation of Schiller's play into a superb operatic treasure.

Witness the incomparable soprano, Brenda Harris, pass the legacy of her vast experience and exceptional artistry to the emerging artists of Minnesota Opera's Resident Artist Program in an intimate master class setting. Ms. Harris will provide insights for singers and audiences alike into the connection between the voice and text, style and technique. A not-to-be-missed opportunity!

La traviata ("the fallen woman") documents the lives of Parisian courtesans in the 1850's with a love story that compelled Verdi to set it to music, largely due to the parallels with his own love life. Minnesota Opera Assistant Conductor and Chorus Master Dr. Clinton Smith will illustrate just how far Verdi, through timeless arias and choruses, pushed the boundaries of social convention to explore the social, economic, and sexual relationships between men and women.

Noted film expert Bruce Crawford will discuss Bernard Herrmann's life and career, from CBS Radio to Carnegie Hall to Hollywood, and his lasting impact on our culture. Wuthering Heights was considered by Herrmann himself as the masterwork of his life. He was intensely protective of the piece, which took him several years to complete. Hermann did not allow any cuts or revisions, which kept the opera from being performed until after his death. Herrmann's music, in whatever form, is distinct and memorable and his opera is no exception.