Music and Opera 

This link is to an article (Feb 17, 2010) describing Fred and some of his work: http://www.i-italy.org/node/13264

Watch this page for information about Fred’s activities with musical organizations in North America and Europe. Upcoming in 2010 are:

1. •July 15-24, 2010: Opera Lover’s Italy with Smithsonian Journeys. We will attend Verdi’s Aïda at the Terme di Caracalla, an all-Schumann concert at the Ravello Festival, and two rare works by Donizetti (Gianna da Parigi) and Nino Rota (Napoli Millionaria) at the Valle d’Itria Festival in Puglia. There will be sublime regional meals, a cooking class, visits to gorgeous towns such as Lecce, Locorotondo, and Matera. Five nights in beguiling Martina Franca, two nights in inimitable Ravello, one night in Rome: http://www.smithsonianjourneys.org/tours/italianoperapugliarome2010?display=description#pageTitle
   

1. •August 14-25, 2010: Speaker on Crystal Symphony, sailing from      Stockholm to London, including calls in Helsinki, St. Petersburg, Tallinn, Copenhagen and Oslo. http://www.crystalcruises.com/VoyageDetail.aspx?CID=0219
   

1. •Sept 20-29, 2010: Music Cruise in the Classical World (from Rome to Istanbul), with Smithsonian Journeys: Smithsonian Journeys - Music Cruise/Classical World
   

•October 7: 6:30 PM ADVENTURES IN ITALIAN OPERA: Remembering Renata Tebaldi. Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimò/NYU (24 West 12th Street, between 5th and 6th Avenues; Tel: 212/998-8730) http://www.nyu.edu/pages/casaitaliana/events.html   FREE

•October 25: 6:30 PM ADVENTURES IN ITALIAN OPERA: A conversation with members of the cast of the Metropolitan Opera production of Puccini’s La Bohéme at the Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimò/NYU (24 West 12th Street, between 5th and 6th Avenues; Tel: 212/998-8730) http://www.nyu.edu/pages/casaitaliana/events.html   FREE

•November 30: 6:30 PM ADVENTURES IN ITALIAN OPERA: A conversation with the superb bass Ferruccio Furlanetto (starring in Verdi’s Don Carlo and Simon Boccanegra at the Metropolitan Opera) at the Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimò/NYU (24 West 12th Street, between 5th and 6th Avenues; Tel: 212/998-8730) http://www.nyu.edu/pages/casaitaliana/events.html   FREE

•December 8: 2:00 PM  Metropolitan Museum of Art (1000 Fifth Avenue, in the Grace Rainey Rogers auditorium) -- La Fanciulla del West, the original spaghetti western. Puccini wrote this opera for the Metropolitan Opera and scored a major success. Fanciulla proved highly influential. Fred Plotkin will explore its impact, two days before its centennial performance (December 10, 2010 at the Metropolitan Opera). Ticket price of $23 includes admission to the Metropolitan Museum. Purchase tickets at www.metmuseum.org/tickets; telephone 212-570-3949 for information or write to MMAtickets@metmuseum.org

                                                       2011

•February 22: 6:30 PM ADVENTURES IN ITALIAN OPERA: A conversation with Aprile Millo, one of the foremost exponents of the Italian soprano repertory. Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimò/NYU (24 West 12th Street, between 5th and 6th Avenues; Tel: 212/998-8730) http://www.nyu.edu/pages/casaitaliana/events.html   FREE

•March 30: 6:30 PM ADVENTURES IN ITALIAN OPERA: A conversation with mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato (starring in the Metropolitan Opera’s new production of Rossini’s Le Comte Ory and revival of Strauss’s Ariadne auf Naxos)  at the Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimò/NYU (24 West 12th Street, between 5th and 6th Avenues; Tel: 212/998-8730) http://www.nyu.edu/pages/casaitaliana/events.html   FREE

•April 13: 6:30 PM ADVENTURES IN ITALIAN OPERA: A conversation with soprano Violeta Urmana, appearing as Tosca at the Met and interpreter of some of the towering roles of the Italian dramatic repertory. Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimò/NYU (24 West 12th Street, between 5th and 6th Avenues; Tel: 212/998-8730) http://www.nyu.edu/pages/casaitaliana/events.html   FREE