An Introduction to The Mikado

Kansas City Lyric Opera Guild member Don Dagenais sat down for an informational video about The Mikado.  Watch the video below and learn about Gilbert and Sullivan’s instant classic:

For more information about the upcoming Lyric Opera production of The Mikado, click here.

An Introduction to The Flying Dutchman

Kansas City Lyric Opera Guild member Don Dagenais sat down for an informational video about The Flying Dutchman.  Watch the video below and learn about Wagner’s classic tale:

To learn more about the Company’s upcoming production of The Flying Dutchman, click here.

Get to Know Il Trovatore

Lyric Opera Guild member Don Dagenais sat down for an informational video about Il Trovatore.  Watch the video below and learn about Verdi’s masterpiece:

To learn more about the Company’s upcoming production of Il Trovatore, click here.

Get to Know Madama Butterfly

As in years past we are excited to have Lyric Opera Guild member Don Dagenais return this season to speak about each of the operas being produced in a series of overview videos, which introduce and inform the viewer about the production.

As such, Mr. Dagenais has sat down for a video about Madama Butterfly, and it is a great introduction to the opera.  Watch the video below:

To learn more about the upcoming Lyric Opera production of Madama Butterfly, click here.

Preparing for Barber

Even though The Barber of Seville has been a mainstay in the repertoire since 1816, many people do not know much about the opera.  Luckily, Don Dagenais of the Lyric Opera Guild was available to fill us all in with a video found below.  In the video Mr. Dagenais muses about The Barber of Seville’s origins, outlines the cast in our production, and adds all sorts of fun facts about this timeless opera.  Watch the video and after you watch the Lyric Opera production you will assuredly wonder how such a great opera was created so quickly.

Guild Speaker Previews Così fan tutte

Guild speaker Don Dagenais spoke with us recently about Così fan tutte, which the Lyric Opera will be presenting in just over 2 weeks.  Watch the video below to learn all about this timeless comedy about the relationship between men and women!

A Preview of Turandot

Lyric Opera Guild member Don Dagenais recently previewed Turandot.  Enjoy!

An Introduction to The Marriage of Figaro

We recently sat down with Don Dagenais of the Lyric Opera Guild and spoke with him about the upcoming Lyric Opera production, The Marriage of Figaro.  Don speaks to this production’s roots with the Lyric Theatre and talks about how this opera classic was a bit controversial when it first premiered.  Watch the video below and hear everything Don has to say about this farewell to the Lyric Theatre.

Puccini’s “shabby little shocker”

Join the Lyric Opera Guild for two At Ease programs, designed to educate and entertain casual opera-goers. The following preview the upcoming Lyric Opera of Kansas City production of Tosca.

Opera as History: How Operas Portray Historical Events
Monday, August 24 – 7 p.m. at the Kauffman Foundation Conference Center

Guild member Don Dagenais will discuss history as told through the eyes of opera, and in particular, Tosca. Tosca is just one of the operas that portray (or areplaced against the background of) real historical events. How good are opera composers as historians? Come find out!

Confessions of Set Designer: How to be Creative in Trying Times
Monday, August 31 – 7 p.m. at the Plaza Branch of the Kansas City Public Library

Join resident set designer R. Keith Brumley for a presentation that will include drawings of the Tosca set to be used in the upcoming Lyric Opera production. There may be other surprises!