Overtures
hosted by principal players of opera lafayette’s
acclaimed orchestra
Before Opera Lafayette there was The Violins of Lafayette, a chamber ensemble of strings dedicated to exploring 17th and 18th century French musical culture. Over a quarter-century later, The Opera Lafayette Orchestra remains the musical foundation of the company. Opera Lafayette musicians play on period instruments - old instruments or modern replicas which would have been familiar to the composers whose music the company performs.
Overtures | Week 1: Overview
Thursday, January 7, 2021 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. ET
This first session is free and will be led by Ryan Brown introducing the purpose and power of an overture to an opera in a dialogue with series hosts June Huang, violin, and Todd Williams, natural horn.
Overtures | Week 2: Lully’s Armide
Week 2 - Thursday, January 14, 2021, 5:30 p.m. ET
Cellist, Loretta O'Sullivan, and violinist, Christof Richter introduce us to their instruments and discuss the importance of the string section in of the late 17th century orchestra, while leading us through our recording of Lully’s Armide. Hosted by June Huang, violin.
Overtures | Week 3: Rebel and Francoeur’s Zélindor
Thursday, January 21, 2021, 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. ET
Join us as we meet with flutist, Charles Brink and harpsichordist, Andrew Appel and explore our recording of Rebel and Francoeur’s Zélindor, roi des Sylphes and the early 18th century overture. Hosted by June Huang, violin.
Overtures | Week 4: Monsigny’s Le Déserteur
Thursday, January 28, 2021, 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. ET
Margaret Owens, oboe and Anna Marsh, bassoon join us as we discover the increasing role of their instruments in the orchestra. They will guide us through selections from Monsigny’s Le Déserteur 's overture and Entr'acte. Hosted by June Huang, violin and Todd William, natural horn.
Overtures | Week 5: Beethoven’s Leonore
Thursday, February 4, 2021, 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. ET
Clarinetist, Nina Stern and trumpetist, John Thiessen talk with us about the role of their instruments in the 19th century overture as we explore the overture of Beethoven's Leonore with our 2020 recording. Hosted by Todd William, natural horn.
Overtures | Week 6: David’s Lalla Roukh
Thursday, February 11, 2021, 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
For our final session, we learn about the natural horn with Todd Williams and the bass with John Feeney. We will also explore David’s Lalla Roukh and the overture in the 19th century. Hosted by Todd William, natural horn.
Six Part Series: January 7, 14, 21, 28, & February 4, 11, 2021
Time: 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. ET
Tickets: $10/discussion or $40/all discussions
EXPLORE MORE SALONS
The pricing for the Salon Series is $10/discussion, $25 for a complete 3-discussion series, $40 for a complete 6-discussion series, or $100 for access to all discussions in the entire Salon Series.
Opera and Dance: HOSTED BY Seán Curran with guests anuradha nehru & catherine turocy
MARCH 2021
Dance was an intrinsic element of French baroque opera and has been an essential component to Opera Lafayette's performances. This series will engage with the artistic leadership of three frequent Opera Lafayette partners: Kalanidhi Dance, The New York Baroque Dance Company, and Seán Curran Company.
Each session will reveal the unique dance style of the company and share insights into the collaboration of projects such as Lully's Acis et Galatée, Handel’s Radamisto, and Geminiani's La forêt enchantée. The series will culminate with Ryan Brown hosting a discussion with all three artistic directors discussing the making of Rameau's Les Fêtes de l'Hymen et de l'Amour, ou Les Dieux d'Égypte, which featured all three dance companies.
From SCORE to Modern Premiere: Hosted by Ryan Brown with guests Charles Brink, Will Crutchfield, and Nizam Kettaneh
MAY 2021
In its 25-year history, Opera Lafayette has built a reputation for returning to the stage operatic works lost to the passage of time. Each discussion introduces works that were popular in their day, influenced the composers of today’s musical canon, and maintain contemporary relevance. There are many steps Opera Lafayette must take when preparing a modern premiere beyond the planning required for the performance of a work in the current repertoire. This series looks at the process of recreating and preserving works not yet heard by contemporary ears, including several of Opera Lafayette's twelve modern premieres.
A Musical and HistoricaL JourneY THROUGH Opéra comique: HOSTED BY julia doe
NOVEMBER 2020
In this series of three lecture-discussions, Julia Doe will draw on Opera Lafayette’s extensive discography to present a historical and musical tour through the lyric theater of Old-Regime France. At each stage, we will blend analysis of the musical features of these lyric works with a broader consideration of the ways that they resonated with the political and social changes of the turbulent prerevolutionary years.