The San Francisco Opera Lecture Series program is back! The San Francisco Opera Guild sponsors a series of lectures, in various Bay Area locales, to share and promote the splendid productions of the San Francisco Opera. Silicon Valley opera lovers benefit from this program, as lectures, co-sponsored with the San José Opera Guild and the APJCC, are held at the APJCC, in Los Gatos. These are university level presentations, full of music selections, video clips and insights.
The Dream of the Red Chamber takes place in China, in the 16th Century. The novel from which the opera story is taken is, traditionally, one of the five great works of Chinese literature. One reason for this greatness is the love triangle into which the main male character is placed. Another reason is the fall of the family into which he is born, due to their abuse of privilege, an abuse that was not atypical at that time. It is an opulent exploration of love, lust and political intrigue in Imperial China. The beautiful production design is by Tim Yip, well known for his designs for the movie Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.
The lecturer is international journalist, Ken Smith, who has covered arts and culture on five continents in a wide variety of print, broadcast and internet media. He was also involved in the premiere of this opera and is very well acquainted with the story and production. The composer is Bright Sheng and the librettist is David Henry Hwang, a Tony Award winning playwright. To find out what happens to the love triangle, you will need to come to the lecture.
Free for SJOG, APJCC and SFOG members. $10 for Non-Members, at the door. Masks recommended. Attendees must bring a picture ID for admittance to the JCC.