The Opera Company presents "Mary/Maria: The Sacred and Secular Purcell and Monteverdi".

The Opera Company and friends present a winter concert inspired by Henry Purcell's dramatic scena for Mary, The Blessed Virgin's Expostulation. Both Purcell and Monteverdi were masters of opera as well as music for church. Songs from Monteverdi's Sacri Canti and Purcell's Harmonia Sacra use the same rhetorical devices found in songs and duets written for the court and theater.

Performing at this concert:

- Jenny Haworth, soprano • Kirsten Hedegaard, soprano
- Tom Crawford, countertenor • William Bouvel, tenor • Oliver Camacho, tenor
- Dan Richardson, bass-baritone
- Phillip Serna, viola da gamba • Mark Shuldiner, harpsichord • Joel Spears, theorbo

$15 per ticket, available at the door. Children under 16 are free. To order tickets or for more information, call 847.543.1202. As always at the Byron Colby Barn, you may BYOB.

The Byron Colby Barn is located at 1561 Jones Point Road in Grayslake.
Directions: From I-94, exit Route 120 west. Drive about 4.5 miles. At the intersection with Route 45, turn left (south). Turn right at the next light, which is Jones Point Road. The Barn and parking will be on your left.

Meetup Organizer's Note: Hi Group! Since many of us are getting busy with the upcoming festivities, thought I'd slide in a quick, inexpensive and convenient event for us next week. This performance will be in "concert opera" format, which is generally not staged (but sometimes costumed). I have high praise for the venue, which is perfect for chamber music and concert opera events.

FYI... this is one of six concerts in this season's "Early Music Series" at the Byron Colby Barn. A link to the entire series is included below. If you are a fan of baroque or renaissance works performed with period instruments, this is where you ned to spend some Sunday afternoons!

As always, RSVPs are appreciated... and the "Not this time" answers are just as important as the "I'll be there" ones. Please email if you have any questions, or if you have coments to share with the group about the works, the performers, or the venue.

See you there!

Ed Fuhrmann
c 847-744-0890

Link: The Opera Company
http://theoperacompany.org

Link: The Byron Colby Barn at Prairie Crossing
http://www.prairiecrossing.com/pc/site/barn_about.php

Link: 2009-2010 Early Music Concert Series at the Byron Colby Barn
http://www.prairiecrossing.com/pc/site/barn_events_upcoming.php

Meet up at the Regal Cinemas in Lincolnshire for an afternoon videocast of "Tosca", a live matinee performance from the Metropolitan Opera in NY. This is good production for opera beginners and "newbies", considered one of the basics if you can only see a few. If you're not familiar with the story... it IS a bit of a tragedy. Also a love story... the bad guy doesn't get the girl!

From the Met website: "Tosca tells the story of three people—a famous opera singer, a free-thinking painter, and a sadistic chief of police—caught in a net of love and politics. Soprano Karita Mattila, recently seen in last season’s Live in HD presentation of Salome, sings the title role for the first time outside her native Finland. Luc Bondy, acclaimed for his imaginative theater and opera productions, directs. The cast also includes Marcelo Álvarez as Cavaradossi and George Gagnidze as Scarpia. Joseph Colaneri conducts."

Running time: 3 hours, 35 minutes. 2 intermissions.

We have the option of meeting beforehand for a light brunch, or getting together afterwards to discuss the performance; we can discuss which to do via email as the date gets closer.

For those who want to catch this performance, but have to miss the live videocast, the recorded "encore" performance (indistinguishable from the live) will be Wednesday, October 28, 2009 at 6:30 PM.

To find out more about the Met Hi-Def Series, visit the Fathom Events Site:
http://www.ncm.com/Fathom/Opera/MET_Tosca_Live.aspx

... or the Met website:
http://www.metoperafamily.org/metopera/broadcast/hd_events_current.aspx

Purchase tickets at the door or at Fandango:

Cost: Tickets are $22 at the door, or via the Fandango link above, plus $1 Event Fee to the Meetup Organizer to cover costs. BUY YOUR TICKETS EARLY IF YOU CAN!!! This is becoming a very popular series, and as some of our members can attest, some shows are sold-out the day of performance!

Tell your friends! BRING your friends! You can start your Saturday with this performance and STILL have much of the afternoon available.

If you need a Wednesday evening alternative to "I Survived a Japanese Game Show", enjoy a special Encore performance of the Metropolitan Opera performing Rossini’s Il Barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville). This is the last summer videocast before the 2009-2010 season begins. Showing in Lincolnshire and Barrington.

http://www.ncm.com/Fathom/Opera/Met_TheBarber_Enc.aspx

One of the most beloved operatic comedies of all time, The Barber of Seville is presented in a production by Tony Award-winning director Bartlett Sher. An instant audience favorite at its 2006 Metropolitan Opera premiere, it was first seen on the big screen in March 2007 as part of the Met’s Live in HD series. Superstar tenor Juan Diego Flórez as Count Almaviva is joined by American mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato as Rosina and Peter Mattei in the title role of the swaggering barber. Subtitled in English.

To find out more about the Met Hi-Def Series, visit the Met website:
http://www.metoperafamily.org/metopera/broadcast/hd_events_current.aspx

Purchase tickets at the door or at Fandango

Cost: Tickets are $15 at the door, or via the Fandango link above.

Tell your friends!

Meet up at the Regal Cinemas in Lincolnshire for an afternoon videocast of "La Cenerentola" (Cinderella), live from the Metropolitan Opera in NY. This is another good production for opera beginners and "newbies", with a known basic storyline allowing the viewers to concentrate on the performance, drama, and artistry instead of trying to keep up with plot twists; veteran opera-goers will find... heck, it's THE MET! Running time: 3 hours. 1 intermission.

We have the option of meeting beforehand for a light brunch, or getting together afterwards to discuss the performance; we can discuss which to do via email as the date gets closer.

For those who want to catch this performance, but have to miss the live videocast, the recorded "encore" performance (indistinguishable from the live) will be Wednesday, May 20, 2009 @ 7:30pm.

To find out more about the Met Hi-Def Series, visit the Fathom Events Site:
http://www.fathomevents.com/upcoming/details/La_cenerentola_LIVE.html

or the Met website:
http://www.metoperafamily.org/metopera/broadcast/hd_events_next.aspx

Purchase tickets at the door or at Fandango:
http://www.fandango.com/themetropolitanopera:lacenerentola_118182/movietimes?location=60048

Cost: Tickets are $22 at the door, or via the Fandango link above, plus $1 Event Fee to the Meetup Organizer to cover costs.

Tell your friends! BRING your friends! You can start your Saturday with this performance and STILL have most of the afternoon available.

Enjoy a comic opera in the intimate setting of the Dr. Lynn Schornick Theatre at the Jack Benny Center for the Performing Arts in Waukegan.

This performance is "Così fan tutte" by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

Saturday, Feb 28, 2009 @ 8PM (Doors open at 7:30PM)
Tickets: $25/adults. Tickets may be purchased at the Jack Benny Center and on-line at TicketMaster.com, for pick-up at the Will-Call desk the night of the performance.

Details: Don Alfonso, an old philosopher and cynic, is determined to prove to his two young friends, Guglielmo and Ferrando, that their fiancées, Fiordiligi and Dorabella, are not to be trusted like any other woman. With the help of Despina, the ladies' maid, Alfonso lays his plot. First he tells them that as officers, their lovers have been called up on duty; and as a part of the old man's plan, he introduces the sisters to two Albanians, who are, of course, Guglielmo and Ferrando disguised. After inner conflicts the two women succumb to the advances of the "Albanians," forcing Guglielmo and Ferrando to concede defeat. However, Don Alfonso reveals the plot to the two deceived ladies and they are reconciled with their original lovers.

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As the event approaches, we'll discuss local establishments where those who are interested can meet in advance for an informal dinner, or rendezvous afterwards to discuss the performance.

This opera will run for two consecutive weekends (February 27, 28, March 1, 6, 7, and 8), with Fri/Sat performances at 8PM and Sunday matinees at 3PM. If you have a preference... please speak up!