OPERA FOR ALL -- Octavio Choy and Peter Shimkin

" THE PEARL FISHERS" is the first opera composed by Georges Bizet, the author of "CARMEN". Set in an exotic land, the drama deals with a male friendship disrupted by a beautiful virgin priestess"

In Bellini's opera, Amina is ready to marry Elvino, but when she finds herself in another man's bedroom, the marriage is cancelled until we all find that Adina is a sleepwalker and all ends well in a delightful ending.

In Giuseppe Verdi's Macbeth, the emphasis is on Lady Macbeth with great interpretations by sopranos Shirley Verrett and Maria Callas.

Besides The Merry Widow, Franz Lehar composed many operettas. OPERA FOR ALL presents the beautiful LAND OF SMILES, with beautiful tunes for the tenor, the main character in the operetta. A Chinese diplomat falls in love with a European woman, but the cultural differences do not allow them to fulfill their love.

In Donizetti's opera MARIA STUARDA, there is a non-historical confrontation of the two queen rivals: Elizabeth I and Maria Stuarda, the best dramatic moment of the opera, in a wonderful interpretation by Montserrat Caballe and Bianca Berini

Francesco Cilea's opera "ADRIANA LECOUVREUR" is based on the life of an actress at the Comedie Francaise, a diva that all sopranos want to interpret. 

This presentation will feature soprano Montserrat Caballe accompanied by tenor Jose Carreras in one of their most successful interpretations

Anna Bolena is another of the Donizetti Queens. The opera was very successful at its premiere, and also in the revival by Maria Callas, which marked the beginning of her career. In this program, we will hear the soprano in a re-mastering of the 1947 recording at La Scala.

"ROBERTO DEVEREUX was a presumed lover of Queen Elizabeth Ist, who was really infatuated with him and had to sign his execution for treasury, although she suffered more the loss of his love. Listen to Beverly Sills, in her acclaimed portrayal of the Queen, one of the best

accomplishments of her career"

Pergolesi: La Serva Padrona ( Maid into Mistress of the House). The first Baroque comic opera whose arias and duets delight to this day. A saucy maid schemes to get her rich old master to marry her. 

n this version of the story of Joan of Arc by

Verdi, Joan does not die on the pyre, and there

is a hint of love between Joan and the King.