2001-02 Season

1. Verdi's Rigoletto

2001-08-21 · 28m

A concise introduction to the history and composition of one of the most popular of operas, Verdi's tragic masterwork about a man whose degenerate lifestyle leads to the destruction of his one valued possession.

2. Handel's Ariodante

2001-09-18 · 28m

Nick Reveles introduces viewers to Georg Fridirch Handel's Ariodante. One of Handel's best operas, Ariodante is also a perfect example of Baroque muscial theater, as treachery, duels, feigned assignations and courtly pomp are blended into a tale of honor lost and regained.

3. Puccini's Tosca

2001-10-19 · 28m

Nick Reveles introduces viewers to Puccini's "shabby little shocker," which has become one of the world's most beloved operas. Puccini's uncanny gift for melody and unerring dramatic sense prove a killer combination in this story of love, honor and revenge.

4. Donizetti's Don Pasquale

2001-11-13 · 28m

Donizetti was, with Rossini, one of the kings of the Italian opera stage, and Don Pasquale illustrates what those maestri did best: outrageous comedy built on intricate plotting and playful deception. Nick Reveles provides an equally enchanting introduction to this new production of Donizetti's masterpiece.

5. Wagner's The Flying Dutchman

2001-12-11 · 29m

Nick Reveles provides background to Wagner's timeless tale of a relentless curse, valiant heroism and redemption through selfless love, all expressed through soaring melodies and surging orchestration. Indeed, The Flying Dutchman is the very essence of the word "Wagnerian."