Bohemia comes to campus this fall, thanks to an exciting Washington National Opera initiative aiming at making opera more accessible for young people.
The well-known opera company said it planned to simulcast a live matinee performance of Puccini’s “La Bohème” – the story that inspired the hit Broadway rock musical “Rent” – to at least 19 universities, colleges and high schools across the country.
The three-hour performance will feature Adriana Damato singing the role of Mimi and Vittorio Grigolo as Rodolfo. Mariusz Trelinski will direct.
The performance, which originates at the Kennedy Center Opera House, also will be simulcast outdoors at the Washington Monument, an annual event begun two years ago that has attracted thousands of viewers.
"This project 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 Union’s Music Department.
Union’s simulcast will be shown in the new Taylor Music Center's Fred L. Emerson Foundation Auditorium, which can hold up to 171 people.
“We’re very excited about showing off the state-of-the-art technology built into our new Emerson Auditorium,” Olsen said. He noted that while other campus venues were considered, the logistics of preparing them for the simulcast made Emerson the best choice.
Instrumental in tapping Union for the operatic event was Hans Black ’74, chairman of Interinvest Consulting Corp., a global money management firm in Montréal. Black is a member of the opera company’s Board of Trustees, which is picking up the estimated $500,000 for the widespread simulcasts.
“We are so happy to make this simulcast free, not only to our university partners across the country, but also to local students and anyone who wants a taste of top-quality opera,” said Plácido Domingo, the Washington Opera’s general director.
The free tickets will be available to members of the campus community in September. Any unclaimed tickets will be offered to the public on a first-come, first-served basis. The College also is looking for ways to expand audience access to the performance, including streaming it on the Web.
“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.