Buffalo Rising Online

Sep 4th 2008, 9:06am By Eli George

Closet opera fan? You may find that OperaBuffs of WNY is just the group for you. Since 1987, they have provided group tickets and dinners, local production support, newsletters, and a lecture series about opera. Their group is now coming to Allentown to the Westminster Presbyterian Church (WPC) at 724 Delaware Avenue for their Fall 2008 Lecture Season and now is the perfect opportunity to join their ranks.

September 13th features an opening lecture by Jack Langerak. Langerak is a Rochester-based Music Educator and pre-opera performance lecturer for The Mercury Opera of Rochester. He’ll be at the WPC at 10 AM to discuss The Mercury Opera’s 08-09 productions. The lecture is free, and following on its heels on October 4th will be a free informance by the Fredonia Hillman Opera cast members and narrator Professor Julie Newell.

The performance begins at 10 AM and is called “The Magic Flute Informance” and will be sung in English. An informance is a show that demonstrates the process for how students arrive at the product or performance as a result of instruction. It will include a question and answer session and a reception to meet the singers. It is meant to show that you’re never too young or too old for opera.

OperaBuffs is now in its 21st year and boasts over 300 members, so don’t expect to be sitting at the WPC alone. They will continue to have lectures throughout the winter and for the 09 opera season. You can visit their website for more information or call 881-1424. Below is a list of the lectures.

Time: 10:00a.m. Saturday, November 8
Lecture: “New American Operas: Doctor Atomic by John Adams”
Lecturer: Rob Deemer, Composer, Chair of SUNY Fredonia’s Composer Dept., whose love is new music)
Location: Westminster Presbyterian Church

Time: 10:00a.m. Saturday, November 22
Special Lecture/Informance: 10:00a.m. - Noon Saturday November 22, at Burchfield-Penney Arts Center
"Vocal/Music/Opera Informance" featuring WNY premier composition by Robert Deemer, SUNY Fredonia Chair of Composition Dept. and staff and students of the SUNY Fredonia Dept. of Music.
A very special feature will be an Inside Opera Informance at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, November 22nd, featuring a WNY Premier by Robert (Rob) Deemer, Composition Department Chair, Julie Newell, Hillman Opera Coordinator and others associated with the School of Music at SUNY-Fredonia, NY., as part of the grand opening celebration of the Burchfield-Penney Art Center, in its new building’s theater space on Elmwood Avenue, next to the Buffalo State College Campus.

Time: 10:00a.m. Saturday, December 13, 2008
Lecture: Massenet’s “Thaïs”
Lecturer: Frank Scinta, Music Educator and Choral Director, The Buffalo Academy for the Visual and Performing Arts and Canisius College.
Location: Westminster Presbyterian Church


NOTE: The Inside Opera Lecture Series returns to the Burchfield-Penney Art Center in its new building’s theater space on Elmwood Avenue, next to the Buffalo State College Campus.

Time: 10:00 a.m. Saturday, January 17, 2009
Lecture: “Divas: in Voice and Costume”
Lecturer: Staff of the Fashion Dept. at Buffalo State College
Location: Burchfield-Penney Art Center

Time: 10:00 a.m. Saturday, February 14, 2009
Lecture: “Who In The World Is This Guy Gluck?”
Lecturer: Frank Scinta, Music Educator and Choral Director, The Buffalo Academy for the Visual and Performing Arts and Canisius College.
Location: Burchfield-Penney Art Center

Time: 10:00 a.m. Saturday, March 14, 2009
Lecture: “La Sonnambula by Bellini”
Lecturer: Dr. Carole J. Harris, Music Theorist, Organist and Choir Director
Location: Burchfield-Penney Art Center

Time: 10:00 a.m. Saturday, APRIL 11, 2009
Lecture: Bernstein’s “Candide”
Lecturer: Jack Langerak, Rochester based Music Educator and pre-opera performance lecturer for The Mercury Opera of Rochester
Location: Burchfield-Penney Art Center

Time: 10:00 a.m. Saturday, MAY 9, 2009
Lecture: “Roland Martin’s Choice”
Lecturer: Roland Martin, Director of The Freudig Singers and staff member of Buffalo Seminary and SUNY Buffalo.
Location: Burchfield-Penney Art Center