Sunday, September 11^th Verdi’s Macbeth

Sunday, October 9^th Philip Glass’s Akhnaten

The popular LA Opera Talks return to Crowell Public Library on September 11^th with Verdi’s Macbeth, followed by Philip Glass’s Akhnaten on October 9th.  LA Opera Talks are programs presented by community educators featuring fascinating facts and musical excerpts from the operas that are playing downtown at the Music Center.  Opera is not just magnificent music.  It is dance and theater with astounding sets on a beautiful stage. It 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!

Sunday September 11th at 2:00 p.m. learn all about the LA Opera production of Macbeth, featuring Giuseppe Verdi’s music, and of course, Shakespeare’s story:  how can one go wrong with this dark political parable?  A victorious general returns home from battle and encounters a coven of witches who predict his future — he will become king of Scotland. Blinded by ambition, and spurred on by his power-hungry wife, Macbeth commits multiple murders to attain and keep the throne. Verdi's score elevates the tragedy and horror through electrifying vocal lines and propulsive energy.

With a powerful, mesmerizing score by Philip Glass, Akhnaten depicts the ancient Egyptian pharaoh with driving rhythms and exquisite choral harmonies.  Akhnaten ascends to the throne along with his bride Nefertiti. He has a vision for his people, a vision that abandons the worship of many gods for just one: the Sun God who reigns supreme. Akhnaten's bold attempt to alter the course of history with a single revolutionary idea ultimately leads to his violent overthrow.

Explore the world of opera through LA Opera’s education programs. Opera has something for everyone. Come early as seats are limited, but open to all opera aficionados and first timers. 

 

Lip Reading Made Fun with Francine Katz

Mondays & Tuesdays starting September 12

Challenge your memory, improve your language skills, and ease the burden of hearing loss by learning to lip read.  In these fun and stimulating classes, students will enhance their verbal skills by analyzing how language looks and sounds.  Instructor Francine Katz challenges the class to memorize sentences, play word games and focus on lip-reading skills.  Spouses of the hearing-impaired are also encouraged to attend to better understand how their patience and consideration can pay off with better communication.  According to Ms. Katz, the human eye can see only eight or nine mouth movements per second, whereas the ears can hear 13 or 14 sounds per second, so slowing speech for the benefit of lip-readers makes sense.

Francine Katz, MA, SLP, CCC, is a graduate of Northwestern University and a licensed speech-language pathologist and lip reading specialist.  Mrs. Katz was with Pasadena City College for over twelve years.  She was “Teacher of the Year” at PCC in 2005.  She was also listed in “Who’s Who in America,” Western Section.  Ms. Katz has taught this class at various locations for over 45 years and students rave how their mental agility has improved after participating. 

Get your brain in shape with a free weekly two-hour workout in the Barth Community Room at Crowell Library in a relaxed atmosphere with rewarding results.  Classes begin September 12 and 13.  Choose either Mondays from 12:30 pm or Tuesday mornings at 9:30, or sample a class and then return ready to do some work as a regular attendee.

Boosting your brain power can only help you age with grace!  

Intermediate English

Fridays:  September 9 – October 21

1:15-2:30 pm

This free class at Crowell Public Library is for those who know a bit of English and want to learn more. If you or somebody you know speaks some English and wants to improve, this free six week class will help all participants make progress.  Instructor Richard Bourell will cover vocabulary and basic concepts.  His method is to concentrate on listening and conversation skills so that students can interact in English, building vocabulary and confidence. The class will not dwell on grammar, but will encourage students to learn English through real life situations and dialogs. 

Richard Bourell has been teaching English for almost forty years, locally and globally, and is the author of the Video Language DVD series, and In English, a video and workbook-based ESL series.  He has taught for the Los Angeles Unified School District, the American English Institute in Mexico City, the Richard Lewis School of Languages in Paris, Huntington Park Community Adult School and the ELS Language Center in Los Angeles.  His students have come from all over the globe:  Latin America, the Middle East, Russia, Korea and Japan.  Now Mr. Bourell is reaching out to the community and offering his course for free, a fabulous opportunity for patrons of Crowell Public Library, so don’t miss out.  

Classes take place in the Library’s Barth Community Room from 1:15-2:30 pm on Fridays, beginning September 9^th.  Interested learners can register in advance by calling the Library at (626) 300-0777, extension 579.