Karina Gonzalez
Drawing a capacity crowd, another successful event presented by the Encore Adult Education program at Pierce College Campus Center proceeded on Thursday.
For the second presentation of the Fall 2007 Professors’ Lecture series, Maestro James Domine took to the helm and conducted an exciting lesson on the subject “The Development of Opera” for mostly older adults.
The two-hour lesson about the opera music covered the periods spanning from the Renaissance to present. Domine came prepared, armed with a handful of CDs and sharp wits, to address the broad topics on various grounds.
Repeatedly, many in the room participated in the presentation by singing along to the familiar tunes, tapping their feet to the beat from the selected sound clips and laughing when the jokes were cited.
The majority of people at the event are familiar with Domine and show up regularly when he’s scheduled to speak on a regular basis. Some are enrolled in his music classes at Pierce. Others just go to hear what new things they might learn about music. Domine is very popular among the group, according to the Encore Director Ida Blaine.
“Domine is the pier-piper of music,” said Blaine, beaming with smile.
Currently studying online for a doctorate’s degree in music education through Boston University, Domine clearly demonstrated his mastery on the subject of music by carefully orchestrating the details without losing the audience, all awhile, keeping composure even under the duress of the microphone malfunctioning.
People in the back of the room had difficulty hearing sometime and, therefore, they missed some important information. But, overall, the presentation was a success and people appeared to want more when Domine is ready to take up the challenge.
Domine stated that during the Renaissance opera was originally a rich society event for friends and neighbors. Because the sheer size of the orchestra and the production value was overwhelming, it was reserved only for those with money. But, as the music progressed, it demanded more sophistication.
The inspirations for the developments were drawn from the Greek myths and other stories. For the first 200 years, the Italians dominated the scene. When the French entered, the traditional opera rules receded causing a new movement and style in the genre that is most famously drawn from the opera “Carmen” (circa 1875) by the French composer Georges Bizet.
Traditionally, women in opera (if they were used at all) were demure and beautiful. “Carmen” broke all taboos and created a heroine who was not only a gypsy but immoral. Because of her, most of the main characters die, while she lives.
Throughout the presentation, Domine played a clip or two from each opera, at the same time, explaining the correlations of the play and music.
Domine then covered, perhaps the most famous composer in history, the time and works of Richard Wagner, the radical 19th century German composer.
[Due to what is considered his most ambitious work, “Der Ring des Nibelungen,” the public audience will forever link the theme of “Ride of the Valkyries” to the famous helicopter scene in the film “Apocalypse Now.”]
Domine arrived with the intent to teach something vital about the musical form called opera.
“Opera is one of the most important musical genres of the composition,” said Domine. “And for centuries, the most important kind of music.” His narrative of the opera covering the vast period of time resonated with the audience.
For several Encore volunteers, it is always a joy when Domine is scheduled to speak.
“[Domine] explains so well,” said Sharon Lasman, 77, a volunteer. “His presentations are so human.”
Domine is not only a music instructor at Pierce, but also many things. He is the conductor of the San Fernando Valley Symphony Orchestra, a musician and a novelist. A “quadruple threat” that is he, his education stretches beyond just music.
For more information about the SFV Symphony and James Domine, go to:http://www.sfvsymphony.com/ Or call: (818) 347-4807For additional information:http://www.lulu.com/content/303786