Sunday, August 30th, 2:00 p.m.
For more than six years, LA Opera has visited Crowell Public Library with its Opera Talk series where volunteer community educators present fascinating facts and musical excerpts from the operas that are playing downtown at the Music Center. LA Opera’s 30th Anniversary Season will open in September with the double bill of Puccini’s comedic masterpiece Gianni Schicchi and Leoncavallo’s thrilling drama Pagliacci. Opera superstar Plácido Domingo will perform a rare stunt by singing the lead role in the first opera and conducting the orchestra in the second! Join Community Educator Ray Busmann for an engaging and informative talk about these two gems of the Italian repertoire and learn about LA Opera’s stunning stage productions by Woody Allen and Franco Zeffirelli.
This free presentation will include plenty of video excerpts from both operas. Funny and witty like a prime-time sitcom, Gianni Schicchi is the story of a greedy family trying desperately to rewrite the will of their deceased patriarch for their own benefit. And in the heart-wrenching Pagliacci, an explosive mix of jealousy, lust and hate leads to a shocking and murderous conclusion.
Ray Busmann, a former classical music radio announcer in his native Germany, has loved opera ever since he was five years old and enjoys sharing his passion for the art form with audiences of all ages. He has worked as an artist and educator for over 30 years and he freelances as a translator and voice-over artist for Hollywood movies. This is his third season as a volunteer Community Educator for LA Opera.
Opera has something for everyone. An 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! Come explore the world of opera through LA Opera’s education programs. Learn all about this sensational season opener at the LA Opera on Sunday, August 30th at 2:00 p.m. at Crowell Public Library.
