Beat the Blahs

Beat the Blahs viewers were delighted with the screening of the acclaimed Met production of Donizetti's Don Pasquale starring Anna Netrebko and Matthew Polenzani (shown on the screen) along with Mariusz Kwiecien and John Del Carlo.

Beat the Blahs Series
Opera Guild of Rochester conquers dull Sunday afternoons by sharing opera video presentations of acclaimed productions by your favorite composers. The Beat the Blahs Haskell Rosenberg Memorial Series features four events, held each Sunday in January from 1 – 5pm at Temple B’rith Kodesh, 2131 Elmwood Ave. Each screening is preceded by a brief pre-show talk about the production.

Sadly, our meet-ups are canceled due to COVID-19. We look forward to when we can enjoy our Sunday afternoons together again.

Suggested Donation for
Beat-the-Blah Events
All four viewings is $32 for Guild donors ($36 for non-donors).

Individual operas are $9 for Guild donors ($10 for non-donors).

Our 2020 Season Featured:

1/5/2020

Umberto Giordano, Andrea Chénier

Royal Opera House production, Jonas Kaufmann as Chénier, Eva-Maria Westbroek and Zeljko Lucic. Conductor Antonio Pappano.

Opera Talk: John Bouman

1/12/2020

Gaetano Donizetti, Don Pasquale

Metropolitan Opera, 2010 with
John Del Carlo, Anna Netrebko, Marius Kwiecen, and Matthew Polenzani. Conductor James Levine.

Opera Talk: Carol Crocca

1/19/2020

Jules Massenet, Werther

A private DVD recording from the Met telecast of February 18, 2014; Jonas Kaufmann as Werther, Sophie Koch as Charlotte, Lisa Oropesa as Sophie, Conductor Alain Antinoglu.

Opera Talk: Peter Dundas

1/26/2020

Double Bill:

Pietro Mascagni, Cavalleria Rusticana

Plácido Domingo as Turridu and Elena Obraztsova as Santuzza.

Ruggero Leoncavallo, Pagliacci

Domingo as Canio, Teresa Stratas as Nedda. Teatro alla Scala 1982, Conductor Georges Prêtre; Film Version by Franco Zeffirelli.

Opera Talk: Art Axelrod