The Glendora Public Library and the Glendora Public Library Friends Foundation and the Library Community Volunteers are pleased to partner with the LA Opera to present a series of Opera Talks- interactive presentations led by members of the LA Opera Speaker’s Bureau, a team of trained volunteer experts. Each Opera Talk will be an insightful talk that will address the history, literature, philosophy and fine arts within the context of opera.
The first “Opera Talk” will be Saturday, November 10 at 2:00 pm in the Bidwell Forum. It will highlight the classic and beloved opera Madame Butterfly by Giacomo Puccini and conducted by Grant Gershon. This opera is about a love that knows no boundaries and goes horribly wrong in a fateful meeting of East and West. What begins as an idyllic liaison in an enchanting land of cherry blossoms turns into the heartbreaking tragedy of an abandoned bride forced to make an excruciating decision.
The second “Opera Talk” will be Saturday, March 16 at 2:00 pm in the Bidwell Forum. It will highlight the Flying Dutchman by Richard Wagner and conducted by James Conlon. The legend of the ghostly ship condemned to wander the oceans forever has fascinated opera lovers-and more recently movie lovers-for hundreds of years. An enthralling score, illuminated by striking stage imagery, power and a thrilling journey into an unsettling, mythic world where a tormented spirit seeks true love as his redemption.
The third “Opera Talk” will be Saturday, May 4 at 2:00 pm in the Bidwell Forum. It will focus on Behind the Scenes at the Opera. Opera is not just magnificent music, dance and theater with astounding sets on a beautiful stage; opera can sweep you away to foreign lands, take you back in time, dazzle you with pageantry and bring history to life. It is literature, social studies, cultural diversity, multiple languages and most of all, it is exciting! We will explore the world of opera, behind the curtain.
The Opera Talks programs are made possible and coordinated by Glendora’s community volunteers, the Glendora Public Library and the Glendora Public Library Friends Foundation. The Glendora Public Library is located at 140 S. Glendora Avenue, Glendora, CA 91741. For more information on these or other programs, contact the library at (626) 852-4891. All events are open and free to the public.