presents

FLORENCIA EN EL AMAZONASMusic by Daniel Catán

Libretto by Marcela Fuentes-BerainBased on the writings of Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Premiere on October 25, 1996, at Houston Grand Opera

Friday, January 23, 2015, 8 p.m.Sunday, January 25, 2015, 2 p.m.Tuesday, January 27, 2015, 7 p.m.

James K. Polk Theater, Tennessee Performing Arts CenterOpera Insights Preview Talks 1 hour prior to curtain

Directed by John Hoomes • Conducted by Dean Williamson

Featuring the Nashville Opera OrchestraSung in Spanish with easy-to-read projected English supertitlesRunning Time: 2 hours (includes one 20-minute intermission)

CASTFlorencia Grimaldi, an opera singer Elizabeth Caballero, soprano

Rosalba, a young journalist Zulimar López-Hernández, soprano*Paula, Alvaro’s wife Kirstin Chávez, mezzo soprano*

Alvaro, Paula’s husband Michael Covino, baritone*Arcadio, the captain’s nephew Javier Abreu, tenorRiolobo, a mystical shapeshifter Keith Miller, bass-baritone

Capitán Andrew Gangestad, bass-baritone*

* Nashville Opera debut

TICKETSTPAC Box Office, 615.782.4040

Nashville Opera Box Office, 615.832.5242nashvilleopera.org

MORE INFORMATIONContact Nashville Opera at 615.832.5242 or visit nashvilleopera.org.

Study Guide ContributorsChandra McKern, Education DirectorMelissa Meyers, Nashville Opera Intern

Cara Schneider, Art Director

ACT IEl Dorado, a steamboat, is sailing down the Amazon River in theearly 1900s. The passengers on board are traveling to hear the leg-endary opera singer Florencia Grimaldi sing at the reopening of thetheatre in Manaus, Brazil. Riolobo, a mystical character, introducesthe passengers aboard El Dorado. Paula and Alvaro are a middle-aged couple trying to rekindle their marriage. Rosalba is a journal-ist who is doing research for a biography she is writing aboutFlorencia Grimaldi. The capitán is assisted by his nephew, Arcadio.The last passenger is Florencia Grimaldi. She is traveling in dis-guise, yearning to find her long-lost lover Cristóbal, a butterflyhunter whose love unlocked her power of musical expression.

Once El Dorado begins its quest down the Amazon, Rosalba acci-dentally drops her research notes overboard. They are retrieved byArcadio, the capitán’s nephew, and an instant attraction arisesbetween the two. The evening ends with an attempt at a romanticdinner between Paula and Alvaro; however, the dinner ends with abitter quarrel. The capitán, who is still unaware of Florencia’s trueidentity, tells her about Cristóbal’s fate: he disappeared in the jun-gle without a trace. A game of cards ensues between Rosalba,Arcadio, Paula, and Alvaro. During this game, a violent stormbrews outside. The capitán is knocked unconscious and Alvaroattempts to save the ship but is swept overboard. Because thecapitán is unable to help steer the ship, Arcadio takes responsibilityand brings the ship to safety.

ACT IIPaula mourns the loss of Alvaro, realizing it was pride and not a lackof love that stood between them. Because of this revelation,Riolobo appears again to return Alvaro to the ship. Alvaro returns,claiming that Paula’s laments saved him from death. Meanwhile,Rosalba is devastated that she lost her research notes in the storm.Rosabla talks to Florencia, who is still in disguise, about herresearch. During the discussion, Florencia passionately declaresthat Grimaldi’s gift was a result of her love for Cristóbal. Rosalbarealizes that she is actually talking to her heroine, and after hearingFlorencia’s story, decides that her romantic feelings toward Arcadioshould not be hidden. To Rosalba’s joy and relief, Arcadio recipro-cates her feelings. Paula and Alvaro have also rediscovered their joyand love for each other.

After a long voyage, El Dorado reaches Manaus at last. However,the passengers learn that cholera, a deadly disease, has struck thetown. The passengers do not disembark. Florencia laments her lossof Cristóbal, and then imagines that it is not too late for her and thebutterfly hunter. As Florencia dreams of finding Cristóbal, she istransformed into a butterfly, representing her spirit finding herlover.

THE STORY

Among the cast ofFLORENCIA are three

artists you will rememberfrom past NashvilleOpera productions:

Keith Miller as Riolobo(Zorastro in THE MAGIC

FLUTE, 2013), JavierAbreu as Arcadio (seen

here as the Prince inCINDERELLA, 2013), andas Florencia, ElizabethCaballero (picturedabove as Nedda inPAGLIACCI, 2011).

A ravishingly beautiful score by Daniel Catán, the beloved compos-er of Il Postino, shimmers with passionate melodies and sumptuousorchestrations reminiscent of Puccini and Debussy. Inspired by thewritings of Gabriel García Márquez, Florencia en el Amazonaspaints an intoxicating portrait of the transformative nature of love.Catán is renowned for his musical compositions. He typically com-posed his music in a neo-romantic style that is very lyrical. Neo-romanticism is a term that describes music composed after theRomantic period but still expresses positivity and emotion. Themusic in Florencia en el Amazonas is beautiful and the music seemsto shimmer as El Dorado makes its way down the Amazon River. Itis said that the lyricism in Florencia en el Amazonas reflects theItalian style in that the music simply flows. Catán uses elementsthat are different than a traditional opera. For instance, he uses themarimba in a way to add a sort of exotic style and the rest of the per-cussion section underscores the music with Latin rhythms. Theopera requires a relatively small orchestra, which seems to add asense of precision. The string instruments never dominate and eachinstrument is clearly articulated.

The libretto of Florencia en el Amazonas is well-known because ofthe magical realism it uses. The term, magical realism, was firstcoined by Gabriel García Márquez. It is said that he used this tech-nique in his novels to bridge the gap between reality and fantasy so

that there is no distinction between the two. The libretto containsthis magical realistic style and Catán’s lyrical music complements itbeautifully.

Of his own music Catán said, “I have inherited a very rich operatictradition. In my work, I am proud to say, one can detect the enor-mous debt I owe to composers from Monteverdi to Alban Berg.But perhaps the greatest of my debts is having learnt that theoriginality of an opera need not involve the rejection of our tradi-tion—which would be like blindly embracing the condition of anorphan—but rather the profound assimilation of it, so as to achievethe closest union between a text and its music.”

Catán said “A team of us went down the Amazon to Manaus whenwe were researching the opera. The Amazon is a world unto itself.The Amazon feels like one of the places that is at the very limit ofcivilization. I want people to listen to my music without any preju-dices and not to worry about the language. Sometimes people feel,‘Oh, it will be in Spanish and I won’t be able to understand it.’ Notat all. It’s an opera that speaks to all of us—anybody that has expe-rienced the glories, the difficulties of love will probably get some-thing out of that. I want them to learn something about themselvesthrough the piece. That’s what the role of art is all about.”

WHAT TO LISTEN FOR

FUN FACTSFlorencia en el Amazonas is loosely based on the novel, Love in theTime of Cholera by Gabriel García Márquez.

The entirety of Florencia en el Amazonas takes place on a boat.

Besides this opera being the first Spanish opera to be commissioned,it was actually co-commissioned by three opera companies:Houston Grand Opera, Los Angeles Opera, and Seattle Opera.

AUDIOLabel: Albany Records (2002)Performers: Houston Grand OperaConductor: Patrick Summers

Albany Records CD recording of the Houston Grand Opera per-formance with Patricia Schuman (Florencia), Mark S. Doss(Riolobo), Ana Maria Martinez (Rosalba), Suzanna Guzmán(Paula), Hector Vasquez (Alvaro), Chad Shelton (Arcadio), OrenGradus (Captain), Patrick Summers (conductor).

OF INTEREST

Full Name: Daniel CatánDates: 1949–2011Nationality: MexicanPeriod/Style: 20th Century (Modern)

LIFE AND CAREERDaniel Catán, a great neo-Romantic composer often compared toPuccini or Debussy, was born in Mexico City in 1949. Catán wasborn into a family that descended from Turkish and Russian Jews.He was a gifted pianist and moved to England during his teen yearsto attending boarding school. He studied philosophy at theUniversity of Sussex and studied music at the University ofSouthampton. He earned his Ph.D. in music at PrincetonUniversity, where he studied composition with three renownedprofessors, one being composer Milton Babbitt.

Catán is known for being the first Mexican composer to have anopera produced in the United States. His first opera, Rappaccini’sDaughter, premiered at San Diego Opera in 1994. This opera wasbased on Octavio Paz’s play La Hija de Rappaccini, a reworking ofthe Nathaniel Hawthorne story. The opera libretto was written byJuan Tovar. Rappaccini’s Daughter was described as the first operawritten by a Mexican composer to be produced by a professional

company in the United States. Two years later in 1996, Catán com-posed and premiered Florencia en el Amazonas at Houston GrandOpera. The story is based on the writings of Colombian novelistGabriel García Márquez, and the libretto is written by MarcelaFuentes-Berain. Florencia en el Amazonas was co-commissioned bythe Houston Grand Opera, Los Angeles Opera, the Seattle Opera,and the Ópera de Colombia and is often called the first Spanish-lan-guage opera commissioned by American companies.

Daniel Catán received the Plácido Domingo Award in 1998 for hiscontributions to opera, and in 2000 he became a GuggenheimFellow. He also had a successful career as a writer about music andthe arts. Catán was scheduled to oversee the premiere of Il Postinoat the Los Angeles Opera when he died in his sleep. He is survivedby his wife and two grown children who reside in South Pasadena,California.

ABOUT THE COMPOSER

Other notable operas by Catán

Encuentro en el Ocaso, 1980La Hija de Rappaccini, 1991Salsipuedes: A Tale of Love, War, and Anchovies, 2004Il Postino, 2010

Full Name: Gabriel García MárquezDates: 1927-2014 Nationality: Colombian

LIFE AND CAREERGabriel García Márquez was a Colombian novelist, short-storywriter, screen writer, and journalist. He was born in Aracataca,Colombia, to Gabriel Eligio García and Luisa Santiaga Márquez.Márquez’s father became a pharmacist and moved with his wife,leaving Marquez in Aracataca. He was raised by his grandparentsfor the majority of his childhood and credits his grandmother forthe magical realism style with which he writes. García Márquezbegan his career as a journalist while studying law at the NationalUniversity of Colombia. He met Mercedes Barcha while she wasstill in college. They fell in love and decided to wait until she fin-ished her education before getting married. However, GarcíaMárquez was sent to Europe as a foreign correspondent. Mercedeswaited for him to return, and they were finally married in 1958. Thecouple has two children: one is a television and film director and theother, a graphic designer in Mexico City.

Márquez is considered by some to be one of the most important lit-erary figures of the 20th Century. He is best known for his novels,such as One Hundred Years of Solitude (1967) and Love in theTime of Cholera (1985). Márquez was awarded the RómuloGallegos Prize in 1972 and the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1982 forhis work on One Hundred Years of Solitude. Márquez is creditedfor creating the style of magical realism. Many of his novels incor-porate magical elements in what otherwise would be normal, realis-tic settings. After completing One Hundred Years of Solitude,García Márquez returned to Europe with his family, settling inBarcelona, Spain. His international fame from One Hundred Yearsof Solitude led to his ability to act as a facilitator in several negotia-tions between the Colombian government and the guerillas. Hisnovel Love in the Time of Cholera inspired Catán’s opera Florenciaen el Amazonas. The opera was very successful at its premiere at theHouston Grand Opera in 1996.

García Márquez was diagnosed with lymphatic cancer in 1999. Hewent through a session of chemotherapy and went into remission.However, in April 2014, García Márquez was hospitalized inMexico with infections in his lungs. He passed away from pneu-monia on April 17, 2014.

ABOUT THE LIBRETTIST

ABOUT THE NOVELIST

Full Name: Marcela Fuentes-BerainDates: b. 1955Nationality: Mexican

LIFE AND CAREERMarcela Fuentes-Berain was born in 1955 in Mexico City. She earned a degree in philosophy from the National Autonomous University ofMexico and studied screenwriting at the International Television and Film School in Cuba. She studied under Gabriel García Márquez,who was the assistant course director and became a close collaborator of his for more than a decade.

Gabriel García Márquez suggested Marcela Fuentes-Berain write the libretto for Catán’s opera Florencia en el Amazones. Fuentes-Berain’smany projects include plays, television dramas, and screenplays. Her screenplay for Hasta Morir earned her two Ariel Award nominations(Best Orignial Screenplay and Best Movie Script) from the Mexican Film Academy of Arts and Sciences. Her credits include the televisionseries El diario de Daniela, La casa en la playa, and El derecho de nacer. Fuentes-Berain has film experience as well, writing the script for thefilm María, María. In addition, Fuentes-Berain is known for her poetry which has been published in the collections Ciudad y otras esta-ciones and Hotel Zafiro. She is still writing and currently resides in Mexico City.

OPERA ETIQUETTEALWAYS BE EARLY! It is always a good idea to arrive early to the opera to ensure you are able to find your seat and get settled before the performance begins.The orchestra may be tuning, so it is important that you find a seat as quickly and quietly as possible. If you are late, you may miss the firstoverture or even the first act!

OPERA IS FOR ALL AGES TO ENJOY! Opera is full of emotion, passion, human conflict and discovery. Whether it is your first time, or a die-hard opera fan, you will have a greattime. Especially with the invention of the ‘Supertitle,’ where the text is projected above the stage on a screen, you are able to follow every-thing being sung on stage. All operas are performed in their original language.

WHAT TO WEARMany people think of a night at the opera as a glamorous event and an excuse to bring out the fancy attire. But, it is also acceptable to dresscomfortably and be you. If a sequined dress or a tux isn’t your thing, come in whatever you think is appropriate for an evening out. Fordress rehearsals, the casual attire that students wear to school is perfectly acceptable. A light jacket is suggested because the theatre is air-conditioned.

USE THE RESTROOMOnce in the theatre it is courteous to remain seated and involved in the production until intermission. Please do not leave the theatre unlessthere is an emergency.

PLEASE BE COURTEOUS... to everyone in the audience and on stage. Theatre is live performance, so any talking, cell-phone use (including texting) or other noise/lightdisruption takes away from everyone’s experience at the opera. Remember that this is a live performance and unlike many staged perfor-mances, the opera singers do not use microphones. This makes it essential to wait until intermission to unwrap gum/candy, talk to yourneighbor or use electronic devices that may distract others. Be sure to turn off cell phone and pagers.

APPLAUSE WELCOME! There are several times during a performance when it is appropriate to applaud the performers. The first opportunity to applaud takesplace when the conductor takes the podium at the very beginning of the performance and when he/she returns to the podium followingintermission(s). It is also acceptable to applaud after an overture or aria in the middle of a performance. Applaud when the performancemoves you. If you are not sure when it is appropriate for applause, follow the lead of the rest of the audience. When you feel comfortableat a performance you may show your appreciation to the performers by shouting “Bravo!” for a male performer, “Brava!” for a female per-former, or “Bravi!” for an ensemble. At the conclusion of the performance, singers who performed principal roles in the opera will taketheir "curtain call." It is appropriate to continue applauding until all singers have stepped forward to accept their applause. Sometimes,when audience members are so impressed with the overall performance of the opera they will stand and applaud the entire ensemble, whichis referred to as a "standing ovation."

NO FOOD, DRINKS, OR GUM IN THE THEATRE. This rule is strictly enforced.

NO CAMERAS OR TAPE RECORDERSThe artists’ images and performances belong to them and we ask you to respect that by refraining from recording their work in any way.

A SOUND ANATOMYOF OPERA

There are many different kinds of songs in opera. Performers may sing alone, in couples (duets), trios, or larger groups, and there are alsomoments when no one sings at all – and each composer develops his or her own preferred combinations of these options.

THE OVERTUREAn opera usually begins with an orchestral piece of music called the overture, which functions as an introduction to the opera. The over-ture generally includes themes that will be heard throughout the opera, and can be anywhere from five to twenty-five minutes long. Before1800, house lights were not dimmed while the overture played, and audiences would continue to talk, drink, and even play cards. Thischanged in the nineteenth century when the overture began to take its place as an integral part of the operatic performance. Usually, at theend of the overture, the curtain rises and the story of the opera unfolds through a series of scenes, which are usually organized into acts.

ARIASItalian for “air” or song. Arias are solos performed to the accompaniment of the orchestra. They allow the character to express his or herfeelings and reflect on the events of the drama. The focus of an aria is emotions rather than actions, and provides an opportunity for thesinger to demonstrate his or her vocal or artistic skill. Some of the most successful composers of arias, such as Mozart, Verdi and Pucciniwere able to achieve a remarkable balance between memorable melodies that perfectly suit the human voice, and making the music reflectthe drama of the text.

RECITATIVESRecitative is a type of singing unique to opera, and is used when characters are conversing, or introducing an aria. The text is deliveredquickly in a musical way that imitates speech, and has a very limited melodic range. It has no recognizable melody and its rhythms followthose of the spoken word. Recitative is meant to carry the action forward and can be accompanied either by a full orchestra, or, as is oftenthe case in opera written before 1800, by a harpsichord or keyboard instrument.

ENSEMBLE (“TOGETHER”)In operas, ensemble singing is when two or more voices of different ranges perform together. These include duets, trios, quartets, quin-tets, and in one or two instances, even a sextet! In each of these, the way the composer blends the voices will depend on the dramaticrequirements of the plot. For instance, in a duet where the characters singing are in love, a composer may show this musically by havingeach performer sing different music at different times, and gradually bring both lines of music together in harmony as the duet culminates.Conversely, if the characters are in conflict, their music might never be brought together. Georges Bizet used this technique in Carmen: ifyou listen to the duets sung by Carmen and Don José, you might notice that their musical lines are never completely blended, and this fore-shadows their tragic ends.

CHORUSMost operas include music sung by a large group of singers (sometimes as many as 40 or more) called a chorus. The chorus appears onstage most often in crowd scenes. The chorus can provide a stunning contrast to solo or ensemble singing. In one opera by BenjaminBritten, the chorus is played by a single male and a single female (this is in the tradition of ancient Greek theatre).

ORCHESTRAL MUSICThe orchestra is an important part of any opera, and not only because it accompanies the singing and introduces the opera in the overture.The themes (both musical and emotional) of the opera can appear in orchestral introductions and conclusions to arias, recitatives, and cho-ruses, but sometimes the orchestra becomes a character in the story, and has music to play by itself outside of the overture or introduction.

WomenSOPRANOThe highest female voice, with a range similar to a violin. In opera,the soprano most often plays the young girl or the heroine (some-times called the prima donna, literally first lady), since a high brightvoice traditionally suggests femininity, virtue and innocence. Thenormal range of a soprano is from middle C through two octavesabove middle C, sometimes with extra top notes. Most women aresopranos. In Florencia en el Amazonas, Florencia Grimaldi andRosalba are sung by sopranos.

MEZZO-SOPRANOAlso called a mezzo; the middle female voice similar to an oboe inrange. A mezzo’s sound is often darker and warmer than a sopra-no’s. In opera, composers generally use a mezzo to portray olderwomen, villainesses, seductive heroines, and sometimes even youngboys. Mezzo-sopranos also often serve as the friend or sidekick tothe soprano. The mezzo-soprano’s normal range is from the Abelow middle C to the A two octaves above it. In Florencia en elAmazonas, Paula is a mezzo-soprano.

CONTRALTOThe lowest female voice, similar in range to a clarinet. Contraltosusually sing the roles of older females or special character parts suchas witches and old gypsies. The range is two octaves from F belowmiddle C to the top line of the treble clef. A true contralto is veryrare – some believe they don’t exist at all! There are no contraltosin Florencia en el Amazonas.

MenCOUNTER-TENORThe highest male voice, which was mainly used in very early operaand oratorio (a genre of classical vocal music similar to opera butgenerally based on a religious topic and accompanied by a choir).The voice of a countertenor sounds very much like a mezzo-sopra-no’s voice and they often sing the same repertoire. Like the con-tralto, true countertenors are very rare. There is no counter-tenorin Florencia en el Amazonas.

TENORUsually the highest male voice in an opera. It is similar to a trum-pet in range, tone, color, and acoustical ring. The tenor typicallyplays the hero or the love interest in an opera. His voice ranges fromthe C below middle C to the C above. The role of Arcadio inFlorencia en el Amazonas is sung by a tenor.

BARITONEThe middle male voice, close to a French horn in range and tonecolor. The baritone usually plays villainous roles or father-figures.The range is from the G that is an octave and a half below middle Cto G above. In Florencia en el Amazonas, Alvaro is a baritone.

BASSThe lowest male voice, it is similar to a trombone or bassoon inrange and color. Low voices usually suggest age and wisdom in seri-ous opera. In Romulus Hunt, the roles of Eddie is a bass. Therange spans from roughly the F above middle C down to the F anoctave and a fourth below. The roles of Riolobo and the Capitanin Florencia en el Amazonas are sung by bass-baritones.

ON OPERATIC VOICESAll classical singers fall into one of the categories listed below. A singer cannot choose his/her voice-type. It is something he/she is bornwith. Composers usually assign a voice type to a character based on his/her personality or age. Specific examples follow below.

Musetta in Puccini’s LA BOHÉMEis sung by a soprano.

Left, Heather Buck in NashvilleOpera’s LA BOHÉME, 2014

Florencia

ELIZABETHCABALLEROsopranoNashville Opera:Don Giovanni,Pagliacci

Metropolitan OperaSeattle OperaFlorida Grand Opera

New York City Opera

Staatsoper Berlin

Riolobo

KEITHMILLERbass-baritoneNashville Opera:The Magic Flute(2013)

Metropolitan OperaColorado OperaFlorida Grand Opera

Seattle OperaWashington NationalOpera

Rosalba

ZULIMARLÓPEZ-HERNÁNDEZ *sopranoNew York City OperaDes Moines Metro Opera

Knoxville OperaOpera Santa BarbaraDayton Opera

Arcadio

JAVIERABREUtenor

Nashville Opera:

Cinderella (2013)

American Lyric Theater

Central City OperaMadison OperaOpera Santa Barbara

Wolf Trap OperaNational Opera

Paula

KIRSTINCHÁVEZ *mezzo-sopranoMetropolitan OperaArena di VeronaOpera AustraliaRoyal Opera HouseSan Diego Opera

Alvaro

PAULCORVINO *baritoneArizona OperaUtah OperaOpera MemphisMusica Viva Hong Kong

Teatro Nacional de Costa Rica

Captain

ANDREWGANGESTAD *bassMetropolitan OperaNew York City Opera

Lyric Opera of Kansas City

Arizona OperaKentucky Opera

Stage Director

JOHNHOOMESNashville OperaGeneral & Artistic Director

1995-present

Nashville Opera:Elmer Gantry,Samson andDelilah, Salome,The Fall of theHouse of Usher,Andrea Chénier,The Girl of theGolden West, The Difficulty ofCrossing a Field,The Man WhoMistook His Wife for a Hat, RomulusHunt

Arizona OperaFlorentine OperaLyric Opera Baltimore

Conductor

DEAN WILLIAMSONNashville Opera:Romeo and Juliet,Samson andDelilah, The Girl ofthe Golden West,The Difficulty ofCrossing a Field,Cinderella, TheMan Who MistookHis Wife for a Hat,The Barber ofSeville, RomulusHunt

Arizona OperaSeattle Opera Opera Santa Barbara

Wolf Trap Opera

Lighting/VideoDesigner

BARRYSTEELENashville Opera:Der Rosenkavalier,Salome, Faust,The Lighthouse,La Voix Humaine,Surrender Road,Turandot, Romeoand Juliet,Madame Butterfly, Samson andDelilah, The Fall ofthe House of Usher,Andrea Chénier,The Girl of theGolden West, TheDifficulty of Crossinga Field, The ManWho Mistook HisWife for a Hat, TheMagic Flute, Otello,La Bohème (2014),Romulus Hunt

Accompanist& Chorusmaster

AMY TATEWILLIAMSNashville Opera Accompanist

1998-present

Nashville Opera:Elmer Gantry,Romeo and Juliet,Don Giovanni, LaBohème, Tosca,Rigoletto, AndreaChénier, The Girl ofthe Golden West,The Difficulty ofCrossing a Field,The Man WhoMistook His Wife for a Hat, RomulusHunt

* Nashville O

pera debut

THE A

RTISTS

More information at nashvilleopera.org or 615.832.5242

NOV 17 Modern Opera & Magical Realism6 p.m., Vanderbilt Alexander Heard Library Community RoomCathy Jrade, Chancellor’s Professor of Spanish, Vanderbilt University;Jorge Yances, Nashville Artist; Marshall Eakin, Professor of History, Vanderbilt University; John Hoomes, General and Artistic Director, Nashville Opera. Parking at Wesley Place Garage, 2043 Scarritt Place.Reception following. More at vanderbilt.edu/clas

NOV 18 International Lens Film Screening: The House of the Spirits (1993)

7:30 p.m., Sarratt Cinema, Vanderbilt UniversityStarring Meryl Streep and Winona Ryder. Center for Latin America Studies(CLAS) will present the film and facilitate a post-screening discussion.More at vanderbilt.edu/clas

JAN 3 First Saturday Art Crawl The Arts Company

The debut of a visual art show inspired by magical realism and the rich Hispanic heritage in Nashville. Exhibit funded in part by a grant by Metro Nashville Arts Commission

JAN 8 Dinner & a Movie Love in the Time of Cholera (2007)

6 p.m., Noah Liff Opera Center, Frist Foundation Room. Film at 6:30 p.m.Enjoy dinner and a discussion before the movie led by Joy Calico and John Hoomes. FREE. Reserve by e-mailing clas@vanderbilt.edu.

JAN Osher Lifelong Learning Institute9 & 14 3:30–5 p.m., Noah Liff Opera Center Studio

Course on Catan’s Opera led by John Hoomes and guests.Classes 1 & 2 of 3Registration required through Vanderbilt’s OLLI website.

JAN 15 A Journey down the Amazon9 a.m., Noah Liff Opera Center, Ragsdale LobbyExplore the Amazon through this professional development workshop led byRichard Pace, Professor of Anthropology, MTSU; and John Hoomes. FREE. Reserve by e-mailing clas@vanderbilt.edu.

JAN Visual Art Show21-28 Tennessee Performing Arts Center, Polk Theater Lobby. FREE.

TBD Visual Art ShowsConexión Américas/Casa Azafran and Arts at the Airport. FREE.

JAN 21 Osher Lifelong Learning Institute7 p.m., Tennessee Performing Arts Center, Polk TheaterClass 3 of 3 is viewing the final dress rehearsal of Florencia en el Amazonas.Registration required through Vanderbilt’s OLLI website.

JAN 22 Butterflies of the Amazon6:30 p.m., Noah Liff Opera Center, Frist Foundation Board RoomProfessor Andrew Brower of MTSU speaks about on butterflies of the Amazon. Reservations required through Nashville Opera, 615.832.5242.

JAN 23 FLORENCIA EN EL AMAZONAS8 p.m., Tennessee Performing Arts Center, Polk TheaterReserve tickets at nashvilleopera.org or 615.832.5242.

JAN 25 FLORENCIA EN EL AMAZONAS2 p.m., Tennessee Performing Arts Center, Polk TheaterReserve tickets at nashvilleopera.org or 615.832.5242.

JAN 27 FLORENCIA EN EL AMAZONAS7 p.m., Tennessee Performing Arts Center, Polk TheaterReserve tickets at nashvilleopera.org or 615.832.5242.