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2006-07 OPERA STUDIES PROGRAM
 
Vero Beach Opera as presenter and the Vero Beach Museum of Art as host bring you our 2007 Opera Studies program, offered on Sunday afternoons from 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. at the Vero Beach Museum of Art’s Leonhardt Auditorium. The schedule is as follows :
Winter Curriculum
The Vero Beach Opera and the Vero Beach Museum of Art bring the son of legendary American Tenor Richard Tucker to Vero Beach for a special Opera Studies program
Sunday February 18, 2007
"AN AFTERNOON WITH RICHARD TUCKER"
 
Mr. Barry Tucker Dr. James A. Drake
Dr. J. Drake, the official biographer of the legendary American tenor, Richard Tucker, and friend of the Tucker family, will interview RichardTucker's son, Barry, onstage between audio and video excerpts of Richard Tucker's performances. Barry has agreed to show segments from the 1972 Metropolitan Opera telecast of Richard Tucker's performance in "I Pagliacci," one of the very first of the "Live from the Metropolitan" TV series, which has never been seen publicly in this format.
Barry Tucker is the Founder of the Richard Tucker Foundation, a non-profit cultural organization with headquarters in New York City. This Foundation is designed to perpetuate the memory of the great American tenor principally through the support and advancement of the careers of promising and talented American singers.
Barry has agreed to show segments from the 1972 Metropolitan Opera telecast of Richard Tucker's performance in "I Pagliacci," one of the very first of the "Live from the Metropolitan" TV series, which has never been seen publicly.
News release : "To have the son of Richard Tucker, the internationally known, legendary American tenor, here for a lecture on his father is really quite remarkable," says Joan Ortega-Cowan, President of the Vero Beach Opera, Inc. "Richard Tucker was not only the most famous American tenor who ever lived, but he performed with some of the greatest opera singers of the 20th century! His son, Barry, attended those performances around the world and is the head of the Tucker Foundation in NYC which gives financial support to upcoming young artists. DEBORAH VOIGT was a Tucker Foundation voice competition winner when she was just starting her career - and look at her now. And to have Dr. James Drake, who is the official biographer of Richard Tucker, present a program with Barry Tucker is phenomenal!"
Individual Tickets for this event are $15 for Vero Beach Museum of Art Members and $20 for non-members $20. To register for this and future Opera Studies programs, please call the Museum at (772) 231-0707. Seating is limited! Proceeds benefit the Vero Beach Museum of Art
Sunday March 4, 2007
"MADAMA BUTTERFLY" G. Puccini
Robert Swedberg, Presenter
General Director, Orlando Opera
Robert Swedberg will offer a look at Puccini's beloved opera - Madama Butterfly. Many people don’t realize that there are several versions of this opera, as Puccini revised it and published it four times between 1904 and 1907 for specific performers in particular opera houses (Milan, Breschia, The Americas, and Paris). In addition to showing clips from the various versions, Mr. Swedberg will discuss the changes that Puccini made, and the reasons for the changes, with some focus also on various approaches to the opera as it is performed today. This presentation is the perfect preview for the Orlando Opera performance of Madama Butterfly at the Vero Beach High School Performing Arts Center on Friday March 30.
Summer Curriculum
Sunday May 20, 2007
"UNDERSTANDING THE SINGING VOICE"
Dr. James Drake, Presenter
Biographer of Opera Stars
What makes a great operatic voice great? What are the similarities and differences between the techniques of opera singers and popular-music singers? Dr. James A. Drake, a frequent lecturer for the VBO Opera Studies series and the author of internationally-acclaimed biographies of Rosa Ponselle, Richard Tucker, and Lily Pons will host a special presentation about the operatic voice, utilizing vintage recorded performances of the legendary singers of yesterday and today.
Sunday, July 8, 2007
"MEPHISTOPHELES" - A. Boito
 Wayne Kleinstiver, PresenterArrigo Boito’s (1842-1918) opera, Mephistopheles, rivals Gounod’s, Faust, both based on Wolfgang Goethe’s monumental masterpiece, Faust. Boito’s Mephistopheles is perhaps one of the most stunning and difficult bass roles in all opera. It is the opera the great Russian basso, Chaliapin, debuted in at Covent Garden and later at the Met on Nov. 20, 1907. It was one of Chaliapin’s signature roles, and later, American basses, Norman Triegle - who revived it at the New York City Opera in 1969, after nearly a 40-year absence in New York - and Samuel Ramey, who revived the role at the Met in 1999.
Gigli appeared in many performances at the Met as Faust, and there are excellent recordings with Triegle and Domingo, as Faust, and Bulgarian bass, Nicolai Ghiaurov, with Luciano Pavarotti as Faust. The subjects of Mephistopheles are: Good and Evil; Virtue and Sin; Heaven and Earth; Satan and God. For his presentation, Mr. Kleinstiver has chosen the San Francisco Opera production, featuring Samuel Ramey in the title role.
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