I Hear America Singing: Adventures in American Opera
Take a journey through the multifarious world of American opera, exploring the groundbreaking, distinctly American work of composers like John Philip Sousa, Scott Joplin, George Gershwin, and Virgil Thomson; masterful mid-century operas by Gian Carlo Menotti, Leonard Bernstein, Samuel Barber, Aaron Copland, and Carlisle Floyd; repertoireenriching works by Stewart Wallace, Mark Adamo, and André Previn, and more. The fertile fields of American opera beckon us to new discoveries, and you are invited to join in the journey of ground-breaking masterworks from the early 20th century through our own time.
Clifford "Kip" Cranna, Dramaturg Emeritus of San Francisco Opera, served on the staff for 40 years. In 2008, he was awarded the San Francisco Opera Medal, the company’s highest honor. He holds a Ph.D. in musicology from Stanford and has taught at OLLI @Berkeley since 2018.
This is an In-Person + Livestream Course
- Classes will be held at Freight & Salvage (2020 Addison St, Berkeley).
- Classes will also be streamed live simultaneously. They will not be recorded.
- Course materials, including videos, will remain available to view and enjoy through March 25.
- All links and materials will be posted in the Member Dashboard. Learn more.
Schedule Highlights
- Course starts on Tuesday, January 18 and ends on Tuesday, March 1.
- The first two classes (January 18 and January 25) will be held only online.
- We plan to resume in-person classes beginning February 1 for those who choose to attend.
- There will be no class on Tuesday, February 15.
- Classes will run for six weeks at two-hours per session.
Health & Safety
UC Berkeley has updated its requirements for all in-person attendees:
- Proof of vaccination, including a booster, and photo ID required
- Proof of negative PCR or rapid test required (the first time you attend only)
- Tests must be conducted within 48 hours prior to attending
- A time-stamped photo of a negative test is proof
- Mask required (we highly encourage the use N95 or KN95 masks for the utmost protection)
- Daily Symptom Screener required (a simple, online tool)