It's been a big week for the Opera Company of Philadelphia. On Tuesday the Company announced the repertoire for its 2009-2010 season. It includes some of the world's most favorite operas and one that's never been seen before in Philadelphia. It's an amazingly exciting season. For more information on next season, click here to visit our website.
Be Our Guest!
Also, we'd like to invite you to attend A Taste of Opera, the Company's FREE recital on Turandot. It's at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts at 128 N. Broad Street in Philadelphia on Sunday, February 15, 2009 from 2:00-3:00 PM. If you'd like to go, just email outreach@operaphila.org with your name and the number of people going with you. Reservations are required for this event. For more information about A Taste of Opera, please visit our website.
Youtube Clip of the Week
This week we have two "Clips of the Week", both feature Calaf's famous aria Nessun Dorma. The first clip features legendary tenor Luciano Pavarotti. While he performed Calaf infrequently on stage, he sang Nessun Dorma many, many times in concert. This clip comes from a 1994 concert in Los Angeles. Here is an English translation of Nessun Dorma.
English translation by Jason Siegal from www.aria-database.com
None shall sleep! None shall sleep!
You too, O Princess!
in your chaste room
are watching the stars which
tremble with love and hope!
But my secret lies hidden within me,
no one shall discover my name!
Oh no, I will reveal it only on your lips,
when daylight shines forth
and my kiss shall break
the silence which makes you mine
(no one shall discover my name!
And we will have to die!)
Depart, oh night!
Fade away, you stars!
At dawn I shall win!
Our other "Clip of the Week" may be completely unexpected. It's the same aria, but sung by legendary "Queen of Soul" Aretha Franklin. The story goes that Pavarotti was scheduled to sing the aria on the 1998 Grammy Awards telecast. He was ill and couldn't go on. Aretha Franklin knew the aria and stepped in at the last minute to save the day! As they say, the show must go on...
Web Site of the Week
I happened to find this cool online site that has several opera quizzes on it. It features an online quiz on Turandot! I will admit that the quiz is tough! You will need to reference your Sounds of Learning student workbook for help, too. But it's just for fun, and you may learn a few things about Turandot that your friends don't know. Click here to test your Turandot knowledge!
Good Luck!
Don't forget to invite your friends to sign up to receive these alerts by emailing their name, school, and age to us at outreach@operaphila.org.
Until next week...
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