2015 Fall series

'A New Generation'

Tuesday afternoons 1:30 - 3:30 p.m.
20 October to 24 November 2015
FESTIVAL INN, 1144 Ontario St.
Stratford, Ontario
A series of films, live performances, and lectures


Picture1880 - artist unknown
20 October 2015 CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA Mascagni



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PictureHeather Jewson and David Krohn in The Rape of Lucretia
27 October 2015
Recital of
FAVOURITE OPERA PIECES




PictureEnglish National Ballet Photo: Alastair Muir
3 November 2015
THE SLEEPING BEAUTY
Tchaikovsky

program sponsored by
Johanna Metcalf 
PicturePoster 1853
10 November 2015
LA TRAVIATA
Verdi



PictureCover of first voice and piano edition, 1892
17 November 2015
PAGLIACCI
Leoncavallo
PictureIndianapolis Opera
24 November 2015
HANSEL AND GRETEL
Humperdinck


 






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James Colbeck will launch our 2015 fall series with a DVD production of Mascagni’s Cavalleria Rusticana, the first half of the traditional 'Cav and Pag' pairing (which will be completed on 17 November).  James will introduce this late-19th-century classic 'verismo' (or 'realism') opera and outline its historical context.

Performed by mezzo-soprano Heather Jewson, who is active on both Opera and Concert stages.  Her operatic repertoire includes music of Britten, Offenbach, Rossini, John Estacio, Johann Strauss, Otto Nicolai, Mozart, and Richard Strauss.



The Sleeping Beauty is one of the most enduring of classical ballets, set to music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.  Presented by retired ballerina Annette av Paul, who was principal ballerina with the Royal Swedish Opera for 10 years, then principal dancer with Les Grands Ballets Canadiens for 14 years.
Excerpts from La Traviata presented by baritone James Westman, who will have just finished the role of Germont in the COC's production.
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Completing the 'Cav and Pag' pairing begun on 20 October, presenter Ann Reynolds will introduce and explore this famous Italian opera, a story of love, tormented sorrow, and murder.  It has been a success with the public right from its premiere in about 1890, and is the only Leoncavallo opera commonly staged today.



Musical exploration of Humperdinck's opera Hansel and Gretel with film excerpts and live performance.  Soprano Gwenlynn Little will discuss the opera and talk generally about the 'pants role' in opera.  One of her voice students, Ruairidh Shalley, will join her to sing character arias, and Katherine Napiwotzki will sing Gretel's aria, delivering the drama and music from this nineteenth-century Märchenoper (fairy tale opera).  Pianist Carol Smith will provide accompaniment.