LA Opera: The Stigmatized

LA Opera’s ARLENE STONE will present a free audio presentation of this rapturously evocative late-romantic tragedy, the first ever production in the Western hemisphere. Whether you’re a hardcore opera aficionado or a curious novice, you’ll be delightfully entertained, and encouraged to ask questions and offer comments. You might even be inspired to make a trip to the L.A. Music Center for the full production conducted by James Conlon. . With the celebrated Recovered Voices project, LA Opera has played a leading role in rediscovering works by composers who struggled to make their voices heard under the Third Reich. A central figure in the remarkable flowering of opera in early 20th-century Austria, Schreker’s luxuriously orchestrated and exquisitely beautiful score illuminates a story that explores the darker aspects of sexual desire and conquest. In The Stigmatized, the misshapen Alviano has created an idyllic island of great beauty as an escape from his tortured existence. A beautiful painter, Carlotta, mistakes her pity toward him for love; she then turns to a handsome rival, the debauched Count Tamare, with disastrous results. Make Crowell Library your LA Opera gateway!

You-Turn: Changing Direction in Midlife

with Dr. Nancy Irwin Thursday, April 8th 7 p.m. Is your life the road not taken? It’s never too late to turn around. DR. NANCY IRWIN will help you get motivated to pull a 180. She’s pulled a few herself as she trained to be an opera singer, pursued a career as a stand-up comedian and then became a psychotherapist. Her book, You Turn: Changing Direction in Midlife, is full of inspirational stories: a crack dealer who became a real estate investor; a 73 year-old singer who enrolled in law school; a catering director who started rehabbing used cars for low-income people; a Harvard lawyer who became a New Age healer, and many more. Originally from Atlanta, Dr. Irwin experienced an epiphany when she began volunteer work for Children of the Night, a shelter for sexually abused children in Los Angeles. It changed her life, and prompted her to pursue a doctorate in psychology and to specialize in the prevention and healing of child sexual abuse. She is now in private practice and is also a busy public speaker for Children of the Night, the Rape and Incest National Network, and Planned Parenthood. She’s been quoted extensively in Cosmopolitan, Redbook, Women’s World, and others, and has appeared on numerous radio and TV shows, including The Greg Behrendt Show, My Fair Brady, The Eddie Griffin pilot, The Fashion Network, Blind Date to name a few. If you want to identify what’s not working for you, explore where you might want to go, overcome those fears that prevent most people from changing, and learn how to design a life that fulfills you, don’t miss this inspiring evening at Crowell Public Library.