Friends of Operetta, founded in January, 1995
by Dr. Gerald Turbow, is one of the few social/educational/cultural
groups in the United States devoted to promoting interest in operetta at
the community level. The group meets quarterly for lectures, live
performances, special guest interviews, and CD/video reviews, as well as
providing a forum for informing our members about operetta events
locally and nationally. New members and visitors with an interest in
this most entertaining form of musical theatre are invited to attend our
meetings.
OUR NEXT MEETING...
...is to be determined,
FRIENDS OF OPERETTA MEETING HISTORY
69 05/18/15 Tania Mandzy Inala w/Wendy Caldwell / Mike talked
68 01/19/15 Our 20 year anniversary! Laura Neill, Executive Director of Ohio Light Opera,
shared her many experiences with the company
67 11/03/14 Michael Miller presented “I’ve Heard That Tune Before … Has the Composer?”, a talk on musical borrowings
66 06/09/14 Screened Ivor Novello’s 1955 musical romance King’s Rhapsody
65 03/10/14 Sarah Best (mezzo) and Vicki Kirsch (pianist) with commentary by Michael Miller
64 09/30/13 Michael Miller presented video talk #13
63 05/27/13 Screened Sigmund Romberg’s 1930 film operetta Viennese Nights
62 02/04/13 Michael Miller presented video talk #12
61 10/08/12 Adam Aceto presented a concert of virtuoso piano medleys from ten Broadway operettas and musicals
60 05/21/12 Presentation by Daniel Pantano founder and artistic director of Concert Operetta Theater in Philadelphia
59 01/23/12 Natalie Ballenger (soprano) and Vicki Kirsch (pianist) with commentary by Michael Miller
58 10/03/11 Michael Miller presented video talk #11
57 05/02/11 Andreas Mitisek (General Director) discussed Shostakovich’s “Moscow Cherry Town” at Long Beach Opera
56 01/31/11 John Welch presented a lecture: “Gilbert and Sullivan Off the Beaten Path”
55 09/27/10 Michael Miller presented video talk #10
54 05/03/10 Wagner and Operetta: An unlikely Pairing (RING Festival LA)
Robin Farnsley (soprano), Gregorio González (baritone), Victoria Kirsch (pianist), Michael Miller (narrator)
53 01/25/10 Sahara Glasener-Boles (mezzo) and Vicki Kirsch (pianist) with commentary by Michael Miller
52 09/21/09 Michael Miller presented video talk #9
51 05/04/09 Robin Farnsley (soprano) and Vicki Kirsch (pianist), with commentary by Michael Miller
50 01/26/09 Screened Gilbert and Sullivan’s Patience by Opera Australia
49 10/13/08 Alex Hassan (pianist)
48 05/19/08 Screened Franz Lehár’s operetta Der Zarewitsch
47 01/28/08 Michael Miller presented video talk #8
46 10/08/07 Richard Sheldon and Ann Noriel performed Gilbert and Sullivan songs
45 07/16/07 Alex Hassan (pianist)
44 03/05/07 Sara Gartland (soprano) and Vicki Kirsch (pianist), with commentary by Michael Miller
43 01/08/07 Showed clips from Romberg operettas
42 09/25/06 Dr. Evan Baker spoke on operetta theaters and production at the turn of the 20th century
41 06/26/06 Richard Sheldon performed and gave a presentation on Gilbert and Sullivan
40 04/17/06 Michael Miller presented video talk #7
39 01/09/06 Robin DeLeon (soprano) and Vicki Kirsch (pianist), with commentary by Michael Miller
38 09/06/05 Richard Traubner (operetta historian) discussed German films of the 1930's
37 04/25/05 Andreas Mitisek (General Director) reviewed the Long Beach Opera season
36 01/24/05 Gregg Opelka (composer/lyricist) spoke on the challenges of translating musical theatre
35 09/27/04 Sarah Jane McMahan (soprano) and Vicki Kirsch (pianist) / Michael Miller reviewed CDs
34 06/28/04 Alex Hassan (pianist)
33 02/09/04 Andreas Mitisek (General Director) discussed María de Buenos Aires at Long Beach Opera
32 11/17/03 Nigel Douglas (singer/author/raconteur) discussed his theatre experiences
31 06/23/03 Alex Hassan (pianist)
30 04/14/03 Michael Milenski (General Director) discussed La Périchole at Long Beach Opera
29 12/02/02 Scott Hayes (Sullivan descendent) spoke on Arthur Sullivan: The California Connection
28 10/03/02 Michael Miller presented video talk #6
27 06/24/02 Alex Hassan (pianist)
26 02/07/02 Julia Migenes (soprano) was interviewed by Miles Kreuger and Michael Miller
25 10/21/01 Michael Miller presented video talk #5
24 06/25/01 Alex Hassan (pianist)
23 04/09/01 John Raitt (actor/singer) was interviewed by Miles Kreuger
22 12/14/00 Michael Miller gave a talk on the celebration of food and drink in operetta
21 10/06/00 Michael Miller presented video talk #4
20 06/26/00 Alex Hassan (pianist) played potpourris from musicals and operettas
19 04/03/00 John Welch and Miles Kreuger presented talks on Gilbert and Sullivan
18 12/16/99 Michael Miller gave a fin-de-siècle review of operetta and Noël Coward on his 100th birthday
17 09/07/99 Michael Miller presented video talk #3
16 06/29/99 Edward Baron Turk discussed his new Jeanette MacDonald book, Hollywood Diva
15 04/29/99 Patricia Morison (actress/soprano) was interviewed by Miles Kreuger
14 01/26/99 James Stuart (Ohio Light Opera founder) spoke about his theatrical experiences
13 11/06/98 Michael Miller gave a talk entitled “History à la Operetta”
12 08/04/98 Michael Miller presented video talk #2
11 04/21/98 Linda Wang (violinist) with Sarkis Baltaian (pianist)
10 02/07/98 Richard Traubner (operetta historian) presented a lecture on Zarzuela (Part II)
09 11/13/97 Richard Traubner (operetta historian) presented a lecture on Zarzuela (Part I)
08 07/15/97 Michael Miller presented a video lecture entitled “Treasures from the Merry Video Vaults”
07 04/01/97 Dr. Loren Zachary spoke of his fascinating life / Michael Miller reviewed recent recordings
06 12/13/96 Michael Miller gave a talk entitled “Around the World in 80 Minutes”
05 09/04/96 Michael Miller gave a talk entitled “Operetta A to Z”
04 01/19/96 Richard Traubner (operetta historian) discussed operetta after Offenbach
03 07/26/95 Michael Miller gave a talk focusing on the works of Ivor Novello
02 04/10/95 Michael Miller gave a talk on operetta’s neglected masterpieces
01 01/17/95 Richard Traubner (operetta historian) talked on the world of operetta
OUR NEXT MEETING...
...is to be determined,
FRIENDS OF OPERETTA MEETING HISTORY
69 05/18/15 Tania Mandzy Inala w/Wendy Caldwell / Mike talked
68 01/19/15 Our 20 year anniversary! Laura Neill, Executive Director of Ohio Light Opera,
shared her many experiences with the company
67 11/03/14 Michael Miller presented “I’ve Heard That Tune Before … Has the Composer?”, a talk on musical borrowings
66 06/09/14 Screened Ivor Novello’s 1955 musical romance King’s Rhapsody
65 03/10/14 Sarah Best (mezzo) and Vicki Kirsch (pianist) with commentary by Michael Miller
64 09/30/13 Michael Miller presented video talk #13
63 05/27/13 Screened Sigmund Romberg’s 1930 film operetta Viennese Nights
62 02/04/13 Michael Miller presented video talk #12
61 10/08/12 Adam Aceto presented a concert of virtuoso piano medleys from ten Broadway operettas and musicals
60 05/21/12 Presentation by Daniel Pantano founder and artistic director of Concert Operetta Theater in Philadelphia
59 01/23/12 Natalie Ballenger (soprano) and Vicki Kirsch (pianist) with commentary by Michael Miller
58 10/03/11 Michael Miller presented video talk #11
57 05/02/11 Andreas Mitisek (General Director) discussed Shostakovich’s “Moscow Cherry Town” at Long Beach Opera
56 01/31/11 John Welch presented a lecture: “Gilbert and Sullivan Off the Beaten Path”
55 09/27/10 Michael Miller presented video talk #10
54 05/03/10 Wagner and Operetta: An unlikely Pairing (RING Festival LA)
Robin Farnsley (soprano), Gregorio González (baritone), Victoria Kirsch (pianist), Michael Miller (narrator)
53 01/25/10 Sahara Glasener-Boles (mezzo) and Vicki Kirsch (pianist) with commentary by Michael Miller
52 09/21/09 Michael Miller presented video talk #9
51 05/04/09 Robin Farnsley (soprano) and Vicki Kirsch (pianist), with commentary by Michael Miller
50 01/26/09 Screened Gilbert and Sullivan’s Patience by Opera Australia
49 10/13/08 Alex Hassan (pianist)
48 05/19/08 Screened Franz Lehár’s operetta Der Zarewitsch
47 01/28/08 Michael Miller presented video talk #8
46 10/08/07 Richard Sheldon and Ann Noriel performed Gilbert and Sullivan songs
45 07/16/07 Alex Hassan (pianist)
44 03/05/07 Sara Gartland (soprano) and Vicki Kirsch (pianist), with commentary by Michael Miller
43 01/08/07 Showed clips from Romberg operettas
42 09/25/06 Dr. Evan Baker spoke on operetta theaters and production at the turn of the 20th century
41 06/26/06 Richard Sheldon performed and gave a presentation on Gilbert and Sullivan
40 04/17/06 Michael Miller presented video talk #7
39 01/09/06 Robin DeLeon (soprano) and Vicki Kirsch (pianist), with commentary by Michael Miller
38 09/06/05 Richard Traubner (operetta historian) discussed German films of the 1930's
37 04/25/05 Andreas Mitisek (General Director) reviewed the Long Beach Opera season
36 01/24/05 Gregg Opelka (composer/lyricist) spoke on the challenges of translating musical theatre
35 09/27/04 Sarah Jane McMahan (soprano) and Vicki Kirsch (pianist) / Michael Miller reviewed CDs
34 06/28/04 Alex Hassan (pianist)
33 02/09/04 Andreas Mitisek (General Director) discussed María de Buenos Aires at Long Beach Opera
32 11/17/03 Nigel Douglas (singer/author/raconteur) discussed his theatre experiences
31 06/23/03 Alex Hassan (pianist)
30 04/14/03 Michael Milenski (General Director) discussed La Périchole at Long Beach Opera
29 12/02/02 Scott Hayes (Sullivan descendent) spoke on Arthur Sullivan: The California Connection
28 10/03/02 Michael Miller presented video talk #6
27 06/24/02 Alex Hassan (pianist)
26 02/07/02 Julia Migenes (soprano) was interviewed by Miles Kreuger and Michael Miller
25 10/21/01 Michael Miller presented video talk #5
24 06/25/01 Alex Hassan (pianist)
23 04/09/01 John Raitt (actor/singer) was interviewed by Miles Kreuger
22 12/14/00 Michael Miller gave a talk on the celebration of food and drink in operetta
21 10/06/00 Michael Miller presented video talk #4
20 06/26/00 Alex Hassan (pianist) played potpourris from musicals and operettas
19 04/03/00 John Welch and Miles Kreuger presented talks on Gilbert and Sullivan
18 12/16/99 Michael Miller gave a fin-de-siècle review of operetta and Noël Coward on his 100th birthday
17 09/07/99 Michael Miller presented video talk #3
16 06/29/99 Edward Baron Turk discussed his new Jeanette MacDonald book, Hollywood Diva
15 04/29/99 Patricia Morison (actress/soprano) was interviewed by Miles Kreuger
14 01/26/99 James Stuart (Ohio Light Opera founder) spoke about his theatrical experiences
13 11/06/98 Michael Miller gave a talk entitled “History à la Operetta”
12 08/04/98 Michael Miller presented video talk #2
11 04/21/98 Linda Wang (violinist) with Sarkis Baltaian (pianist)
10 02/07/98 Richard Traubner (operetta historian) presented a lecture on Zarzuela (Part II)
09 11/13/97 Richard Traubner (operetta historian) presented a lecture on Zarzuela (Part I)
08 07/15/97 Michael Miller presented a video lecture entitled “Treasures from the Merry Video Vaults”
07 04/01/97 Dr. Loren Zachary spoke of his fascinating life / Michael Miller reviewed recent recordings
06 12/13/96 Michael Miller gave a talk entitled “Around the World in 80 Minutes”
05 09/04/96 Michael Miller gave a talk entitled “Operetta A to Z”
04 01/19/96 Richard Traubner (operetta historian) discussed operetta after Offenbach
03 07/26/95 Michael Miller gave a talk focusing on the works of Ivor Novello
02 04/10/95 Michael Miller gave a talk on operetta’s neglected masterpieces
01 01/17/95 Richard Traubner (operetta historian) talked on the world of operetta