The campus community will be treated to a free simulcast of a live matinee performance of Puccini’s 'La Boheme' by the renowned Washington National Opera this fall.
Union is among 32 schools tapped to show the three-hour performance, which begins 2 p.m. at the Kennedy Center Opera House Sunday, Sept. 23.
Union’s simulcast will be shown in the new Fred L. Emerson Auditorium in the Taylor Music Center.
A limited number of free tickets will be available to the campus community beginning Sept. 5 by calling 388-6785, or visiting Visual Arts 101.
Any remaining tickets will be available to the general public starting Sept. 17. For more information, call 388-6201.
“This project is important because it gives an audience that might not have had much exposure to opera the chance to get up close and personal with one of the classics of the repertoire in a high-quality production,” said Tim Olsen, chair of the Music Department.
Olsen said several sites were considered for the simulcast, including larger venues like Memorial Chapel and the Reamer Campus Center auditorium. But he said the logistics of preparing those facilities for the simulcast made Emerson the best choice.
“We’re very excited about showing off the state-of-the-art technology built into our new Emerson Auditorium,” he said.
The performance will be directed by Mariusz Trelinski and feature Adriana Damato as Mimi and Vittorio Grigolo as Rodolfo.
For the past two years, Washington National Opera has presented a free live outdoor simulcast at the Washington Monument that has attracted tens of thousands of viewers. In addition, a simulcast was made available to several movie theaters in the region.
The idea to expand the simulcasts to schools is part of an effort to reach young opera lovers.
“What a wonderful way to draw younger audiences to opera with this innovative new production,” said Placido Domingo, general director of the Washington National Opera. “We are so happy to present this simulcast free to our school partners across the country and anyone who wants a taste of top quality opera.”
Hans Black ’74 was instrumental in having Union join the simulcast with other institutions such as Princeton University, Wellesley College and the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Chairman of Interinvest Consulting Corp., a global money management firm based in Montreal, Black is a member of the opera company’s board of trustees, which is picking up the estimated $500,000 tab for the widespread simulcasts.
“This project shows the commitment of both Washington National Opera and Union College to providing innovative cultural and learning experiences for the community,” Olsen said.