| Status: | Active, open to new members |
| Group leader: | |
| Group email: | Opera Appreciation group |
| When: | Monthly on Friday mornings 10:30 am 1st Friday of the month |
| Venue: | Zoom |
This Group is for those who love Opera and those who wish to know more about it. We meet on Zoom and use OperaVision to watch our chosen Opera.
OperaVision is an EU Creative programme showing Operas from companies across Europe. It is available on YouTube. Members choose an Opera to watch at their leisure on line which we then discuss at our next meeting.
Have a look at some of the Operas we have watched in the past , by clicking on the buttons below.
We welcome new members.
Come and join us.
Operas Watched in 2022
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December - Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve by Rimsky-Korsakov. An Opera Frankfurt Production. Christmas Eve is a satirical-realistic depiction of Ukrainian village life combined with fantastic and mythological elements. Complete with bears, ballerinas, Ukranian carols and golden shoes to delight this Christmas! A very different
Ukraine for the one we hear about today. -
November - Orpheus aux Enfers
Orpheus aux Enfers by Offenbach. An Opera Frankfurt production. An irreverent take on the tragic story of Orpheus and Eurydice! Worth watching for the Can-Can!
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October - Pikovaya Dama (Queen of Spades)
Pikovaya Dama (Queen of Spades) by Tchaikovsky. A story of obsession with gambling and love.
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September - Ernani
Verdi’s Ernani was the Opera we watched this month. A dramatic story of love between a young woman and her three suitors.
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August - Maria Stuarda
The Opera watched this Month was Maria Stuarda by Donizetti, an Irish National Opera production from Dublin. This is the story of Mary Stuart of Scotland and Elizabeth of England. A powerful drama complemented by Donizetti’s lyrical music.
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July - Leonore 40/45
Leonore 40/45. Written by Liebermann This was a Theatre Bonn production A love story between a German soldier and a French woman in Paris during and after the war Help came in the form of a Guardian Angel!
Operas Watched in 2021
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Don Giovanni by Mozart.
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Jenufa by Janacek
A performance from The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. A compelling and powerful story. Described by some members as the best opera ever!
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Tosca by Puccini
Tosca Teatro Real production of Puccini’s Opera. Loved by most, but not all members of the group this generated a very lively discussion.
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Andrea Chernier by Umberto Giordano
This generated a great discussion, with lots of opinions. Perhaps somewhat overblown production, lacking in emotion and passion. However everyone seemed to enjoy some aspect of this Opera. In particular the lighting and staging had very positive comments as did some of the following arias; Un di, all’azzurro spazio, La Mamma morte and the duet between Chenier and Maddalena in Act IV.
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L’elisir D’amore by Donizetti
Our August Opera. A youthful production, fun and frothy which divided opinions in the group
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The Flying Dutchman - Wagner
A great introduction to Wagner. Spectacular, amazing dramatic were some of the comments about this opera