Operatif: Handel, The Opera Composer

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Primarily known today as the composer of oratorio such as The Messiah, George Friderich Handel was a prolific opera composer; with around 50 operatic works to his name. In this lecture, Victoria Bond will reveal how the German born composer became a master of Italian Baroque Opera, through the specific lens of his political drama, Agrippina. 

  • Victoria Bond Composer, Conductor, and Opera Scholar

    A major force in 21st century music, composer Victoria Bond is known for her melodic gift and dramatic flair. Her works for orchestra, chamber ensemble and opera have been lauded by the New York Times as "powerful, stylistically varied and technically demanding."

    In addition to Soul of a Nation, the four presidential portraits on the Albany label, highlights of Ms. Bond’s catalogue include the operas Mrs. President, Clara and The Miracle of Light; ballets Equinox and Other Selves; orchestral works Thinking like a Mountain, Bridges and Urban Bird; and chamber works Dreams of Flying, Frescoes and Ash and Instruments of Revelation, among many others. Her compositions have been performed by the New York City Opera, Shanghai, Dallas and Houston Symphonies, members of the Chicago Symphony and New York Philharmonic, American Ballet Theater and the Cassatt and Audubon Quartets.

    The New York Times praised Victoria Bond’s conducting as “full of energy and fervor.” She has served as principal guest conductor of Chamber Opera Chicago since 2005. Prior positions include Assistant Conductor of Pittsburgh Symphony and New York City Opera and Music Director of the Roanoke Symphony and Opera, Bel Canto Opera and Harrisburg Opera. Ms. Bond has guest conducted throughout the United States, Europe, South America and Asia. She is the first woman awarded a doctorate in orchestral conducting from the Juilliard School.

    Ms. Bond is Artistic Director of Cutting Edge Concerts New Music Festival in New York, which she founded in 1998, and is a frequent lecturer at the Metropolitan Opera and has lectured for the New York Philharmonic. The Wall Street Journal, NBC’s Today Show, the New York Times and other national publications have profiled Ms. Bond.

Sponsors

All Education Programming supported by The Patti Kenner Arts Education Fellowship and Lucy and Steven Cookson, with additional funding by Kate W. Cassidy Foundation, Lewis B. and Dorothy Cullman Endowment Fund, The Melville Straus Family Endowment, and Catherine Freudenberg Traykovski – The Freudenberg Arts Foundation.
The Met Opera simulcasts at Guild Hall are made possible in part through the generosity of:
Grand Tier: Dr. Ralph Gibson, in memory of Andy Jacobyansky, who generously shared his passion, knowledge and support for the opera. The Ellen and James S. Marcus Endowment for Musical Programming, Phyllis Davis, Howie and Louise Phanstiel, and The East Hampton Star.

Dress Circle: Maureen Bluedorn, Norma Giorgetti in memory of Mary-Anne Szabaga, Barbara Horgan, Patti Kenner, Judy and Alex Laughlin, Jim Potter, David Seeler and Ngaere Macray, Maryam K. Seley, Irene and Sidney Silverman, and Norbert Weissberg in memory of Dr. Josef Weissberg.

Balcony Circle: Gabrielle Bamberger, Susan L. Blair, Diane and William Dreher, Harriet Edwards, Jeannette and H. Peter Kriendler Charitable Trust, Ernest Leatherwood, Jr., Mr. and Mrs. Robert Osborne, Edward L. Schiff, Anita Sheldon, Veronica Stephens, Mary Stone, Sandra Thorn, and Peter Van Hattum in memory of Harold Simmons.

Family Circle (*Gold): Carolyn and Gioacchino Balducci*, Paulette and Sanford Balsam, Arlene Bujese and Marcel Bally*, Joanne Canary*, Bonnie and Bob Cooperman*, Ann and George Davis, James A. Fox and Martin B. Rapp, Francine Gluckman, Marsha Kranes, Robert F. Luckey, Joan and Walter Marter*, Marjorie A. Ogilvie, Marcia Previti and Peter Gumpel*, Cornelia and Lawrence Randolph*, Nancy and Murray Skurnik, Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Steffan*, and Jane Wood.

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