The Academy Center of the Arts continues the Metropolitan Opera HD Broadcast series, featuring Francis Poulenc’s Dialogues des Carmélites on Sunday, May 26, 2019, at 2:00pm in the Historic Academy Theatre.
The Academy is excited to offer HD Broadcasts of the Metropolitan Opera’s performances throughout the year in the Historic Academy of Music Theatre. Stay tuned for the upcoming schedule of Met Opera performances in 2019.
While the French Revolution rages without, the lives of the nuns in a Carmelite monastery are first shaken, then destroyed by the conflict between faith and politics. A devastating final scene of multiple executions by guillotine is preceded by life-and-death encounters within cloistered walls.
Philip Garmey will host the upcoming Opera on the James Pre-Show Talk, beginning at 1:00pm. This pre-show event is free to all and included in your ticket price.
Mr. Garmey is a long time member of the Lynchburg academic community who has deep knowledge and an abiding love for French art and culture. In his own words: “When I first began to study the French language seriously, my primary motivation was to be able to communicate with individuals from a somewhat different cultural background. But I quickly discovered that learning the language of another people opened countless doors to experiencing the creative and cultural history of those people as well. Communicating with individuals from another culture truly does require an understanding of much more than how their language works. Language learning enables one to appreciate the stellar contributions of the French people to the history of literature, art, architecture and certainly of music. For a great while, I delighted in listening to the keyboard compositions of Couperin and Debussy. One day, I decided to enter the world of French opera and settled into listening to CARMEN. That was the beginning. I came to an appreciation of French opera much later in life than many. But, as they say, ‘better late than never.’
Tickets:
Students: $23.00
Seniors: $28.00
Adults: $31.00
For more information or to purchase tickets to this performance, contact the Academy Center of the Arts Box Office at (434) 846-8499.
About Dialogues des Carmélites:
Yannick Nézet-Séguin leads the classic John Dexter production of Poulenc’s devastating story of faith and martyrdom. Mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard sings the touching role of Blanche and soprano Karita Mattila, a legend in her own time, returns to the Met as the Prioress.
Production a gift of Francis Goelet
Runtime is 3 hours and 9 minutes. One intermission will take place between Act I and II and Act II and II.