Winter, no buses, midterms鈥� we鈥檙e all in need of a little escapism. But if the winter blockbusters are leaving you cold, and you don鈥檛 have the time for the latest bestseller, why not rarify your recreational activities and enjoy a night at the opera 鈥� for free?
Sunday Night at the Opera is the brainchild of Michael Parker, and one of AV俱乐部鈥檚 best-kept secrets: one Sunday each month for the duration of the term, Dr. Parker shows an opera DVD from his extensive collection, using AV俱乐部鈥檚 Ondaatje Hall as an impromptu opera house.
鈥淚 was teaching up in Newfoundland, and was running it there,鈥� Dr. Parker explains of the event鈥檚 origins. When he retired and moved to Nova Scotia, 鈥淚 thought, well, I could start it here as well.鈥�
Sunday Night at the Opera鈥檚 first season at AV俱乐部 was in 2008; the 2011/2012 year marks its fourth season. Dr. Parker says that 鈥渢here鈥檚 always been a very strong support within the community鈥� for Sunday Night at the Opera: he routinely sends announcements to a mailing list of over 250 people. This year鈥檚 run will feature two more offerings before adjourning for the summer: Giulio Cesare in Egitto (Julius Caesar in Egypt) by Handel and The Love For Three Oranges by Prokofiev.
Dr. Parker calls Handel鈥檚 Julius Caesar 鈥渙ne of his masterpieces.鈥� Often, he says, 鈥渙pera composers鈥� took an idea from the classical world and adapted it, but this one is fairly accurate.鈥� Fairly extensive, too: Julius Caesar runs five hours. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a brilliant piece, and it鈥檚 a really interesting production, too.鈥�
Drawing from the four periods of opera
If five hours sounds like too much to Handel 鈥� or if you鈥檇 just prefer lighter fare -- you may want to hold out for The Love For Three Oranges. Dr. Parker always finishes a season鈥檚 showings with a comedy, and Prokofiev鈥檚 work is a whimsical adventure in which a prince falls in love with a princess rescued from the confines of an orange.
Dr. Parker, himself a composer, has loved opera since his teens 鈥� his own enduring favorites include Strauss and Handel. 鈥淭hey take a little getting used to, I鈥檝e found out鈥� to me, he (Strauss) is one of the greatest composers, for sure. He鈥檚 able to write about human emotion that we can all relate to on a very personal level.鈥�
In making his selections for Sunday Night at the Opera, Dr. Parker attempts to draw from each of the 鈥渇oyr periods鈥� of opera 鈥� 鈥渂aroque, classical, romantic, and modern鈥�.聽 Furthermore, each composer鈥檚 operas are shown in chronological order. Dr. Parker also attempts to balance screenings of well-known works with more obscure pieces.
鈥淚t鈥檚 to offer a balanced program across periods and styles,鈥� Dr. Parker explains. He reckons that he owns enough opera DVDs to offer 15 seasons of Sunday Night at the Opera: 鈥淚鈥檒l be 75 then, and I think that鈥檒l probably be time to retire from this project!鈥�
Julius Caesar in Egypt shows Sunday, March 11 at 5 p.m. and The Love For Three Oranges shows Sunday, April 15 at 6 p.m. Both showings will take place in Ondaatje Hall (the Marion McCain Building) and both are free. Seat reservations are required and may be made at Michael.parker@dal.ca. More information can be found on .