OPERA FOR ALL -- Octavio Choy and Peter Shimkin

OFA#75 Massenet's THERESE

"In Jules Massenet's opera THERESE, in the throes of the French Revolution, an exiled nobleman reappears to woo his now married lover with tragic consequences ending with the guillotine"

OFA#74 STRAUSS' SALOME

In Strauss' opera, SALOME could not kiss the lips of the prophet John the Baptist when he was alive, so she kissed the lips of his decapitated head.

OFA#73 CHERUBINI'S MEDEA

In Luigi Cherubini's opera, Medea had two children by Jason, who abandons her to marry Glauce. Medea takes revenge killing Glauce and their two sons.

OFA #72 THE PROPHET

An innkeeper during the Protestant Reformation becomes convinced he is God's messenger with tragic consequences for himself, his mother and his fiancee. A good example of Parisian Grand Opera, from 1830-1870. Now known best for its skater's waltz.

OFA#71 VERDI'S ATTILA

In Verdi's opera, there is a confrontation between a Roman General and Attila, where the general proposes giving up the entire empire, with the exception of Italy, in a dramatic duo that highlights the opera

OFA#70 GEMMA DI VERGY

In the plot of Donizetti's opera GEMMA DI GERVY, the heroine is barren, and her husband the Count gets an annulment of his marriage so he can get married to another woman with the hopes of getting an heir.

OFA#69 VERDI'S OBERTO

OPERA FOR ALL presents Giuseppe Verdi's first opera: OBERTO, CONTI DI SAN BONIFACIO, where we first hear the father-daughter exchanges that Verdi would use in many of his operas.

OFA#68 EDGAR

Our program presents Giacomo Puccini's second opera, EDGAR where the main character Edgar alternates between the pure love of an innocent village woman, and the sensual temptations of another.

OFA#67 LA FORZA DEL DESTINO

In LA FORZA DEL DESTINO, Destiny or Fate plays a role in the loves of Leonora and Alvaro. When they tried to elope, Leonora's father confronts Alvaro who throws his pistol to the floor to avoid confrontation, but the gun accidentally mortally hits the father. This is one of the many situations in this Beautiful Opera.

OFA#66 MEFISTOFELE (1)

THE PEARL FISHERS

" THE PEARL FISHERS" is the first opera composed by Georges Bizet, the author of "CARMEN". Set in an exotic land, the drama deals with a male friendship disrupted by a beautiful virgin priestess"

OFA#64 La Sonnambula

In Bellini's opera, Amina is ready to marry Elvino, but when she finds herself in another man's bedroom, the marriage is cancelled until we all find that Adina is a sleepwalker and all ends well in a delightful ending.

OFA#63 VERDIS MACBETH

In Giuseppe Verdi's Macbeth, the emphasis is on Lady Macbeth with great interpretations by sopranos Shirley Verrett and Maria Callas.

OFA#62 THE LAND OF SMILES

Besides The Merry Widow, Franz Lehar composed many operettas. OPERA FOR ALL presents the beautiful LAND OF SMILES, with beautiful tunes for the tenor, the main character in the operetta. A Chinese diplomat falls in love with a European woman, but the cultural differences do not allow them to fulfill their love.

OFA#60 MARIA STUARDA

In Donizetti's opera MARIA STUARDA, there is a non-historical confrontation of the two queen rivals: Elizabeth I and Maria Stuarda, the best dramatic moment of the opera, in a wonderful interpretation by Montserrat Caballe and Bianca Berini

OFA #61 ADRIANA LECOUVREUR.

Francesco Cilea's opera "ADRIANA LECOUVREUR" is based on the life of an actress at the Comedie Francaise, a diva that all sopranos want to interpret. This presentation will feature soprano Montserrat Caballe accompanied by tenor Jose Carreras in one of their most successful interpretations

OFA#59 ANNA BOLENA

Anna Bolena is another of the Donizetti Queens. The opera was very successful at its premiere, and also in the revival by Maria Callas, which marked the beginning of her career. In this program, we will hear the soprano in a re-mastering of the 1947 recording at La Scala.

OFA#58 ROBERTO DEVEREUX

" ROBERTO DEVEREUX was a presumed lover of Queen Elizabeth Ist, who was really infatuated with him and had to sign his execution for treasury, although she suffered more the loss of his love. Listen to Beverly Sills, in her acclaimed portrayal of the Queen, one of the best accomplishments of her career"

OFA #57 Pergolesi

Pergolesi: La Serva Padrona ( Maid into Mistress of the House). The first Baroque comic opera whose arias and duets delight to this day. A saucy maid schemes to get her rich old master to marry her.

OFA#56 GIOVANNA D'ARCO

n this version of the story of Joan of Arc by Verdi, Joan does not die on the pyre, and there is a hint of love between Joan and the King.

OFA#55 Catalani's "LA WALLY"

Catalani: La Wally. A verismo opera with all the requisites of jealousy, attempted murder, forgiveness and a tragic death scene for the 2 lovers. Noted most for a famous soprano aria, featured prominently in the French cult movie "Diva" and ever since known as the Diva Aria.

OFA#54 Bellini's "I CAPULETI E I MONTECCHI"

In "I CAPULETI E I MONTECCHI", Bellini explores the story of Romeo and Juliette in a slightly different version than the well known from Shakespeare"

OFA#53 Un giorno di regno - Renzetti

When Verdi was asked to produce a new work for the PARIS OPERA, he did not want to fail, so he reworked his previous opera I LOMBARDI, changing and adding a few things, with great success this story of the First Crusade, with an added love triangle between two men and a woman"

OFA#52 JERUSALEM

When Verdi was asked to produce a new work for the PARIS OPERA, he did not want to fail, so he reworked his previous opera I LOMBARDI, changing and adding a few things, with great success this story of the First Crusade, with an added love triangle between two men and a woman"

OFA# 51 Verdi I Lombardi

OFA 51 I Lombardi. (Italians in the first Crusade.) A complicated plot with many conspiracies, leading to final redemption. Good arias (it is by Verdi after all) ,rousing choruses and marches with a stage band. The chorus "O Signore, dal tetto natio" is deservedly popular.

OFA#50 LUCREZIA BORGIA

"In Donizetti's opera, Lucrezia follows a young man, while her husband spies on her and eventually kills him, without realizing the young man was Lucrezia's son"

OFA 49 Verdi Otello

Verdi's Otello Shakespeare's tragedy set to music equal to words. One of opera's great love duets and Desdemona's Ave Maria are among the highlights.

OFA#48 NORMA

Vincenzo Bellini's Norma is considered to be the most taxing roles in the soprano repertoire, lending satisfaction and prestige to those who achieved its rendition. In the 1950's, the role of Norma was the calling card of the great soprano MARIA CALLAS, followed by the interpretation of others like Joan Sutherland, Monserrat Caballe, Beverly Sills and others more recently.

OFA 47 The Merry Widow

Franz Lehar: The Merry Widow. An operetta about a rich widow who wants to rekindle an old love affair with a handsome guards officer. After the usually bumps in the road, love conquers all against a background of some very familiar waltzes and the guardsman/s famous salute to all dancing girls at Maxim's cafe.

OFA#46 ERNANI

"In Verdi's Ernani, the beautiful Elvira is being forced to marry her uncle, but she loves Ernani. The plot thickens when Carlo, the King of Spain is also in love with her."