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
Dear Lover of Operetta,
2010 will be the best year yet. To show you what we mean—as we begin our 16th year—we shall feature at our next gathering the artistry of mezzo-soprano Sahara Glasener-Boles, who will lend her rich voice and acting skills to a program of operetta and Broadway selections, including music of Lehár, Offenbach, Porter, Gilbert and Sullivan, Rodgers, Yvain, and Jurmann. For the past eight seasons, Sahara has sung lead roles with The Ohio Light Opera, and has performed with Tri-Cities Opera, Cleveland Opera, Cleveland Opera on Tour, and Lyric Opera Cleveland. She will be accompanied by our good friend Victoria Kirsch, one of Southern California's finest collaborative pianists, who has just returned from Greece and Turkey, where she accompanied soprano Julia Migenes in her new Franz Schubert show.
The next meeting will be at the Palisades Lutheran Church at 15905 Sunset Blvd. in Pacific Palisades (the corner of Sunset Blvd. and El Medio). Driving along Sunset Blvd., this is about 2.1 miles inland from the ocean, 6.1 miles west of the 405 freeway, and just a few blocks west along Sunset Blvd. of its intersection with Temescal Canyon Road. The church is on the northwest corner and the entrance is on El Medio, just north of Sunset. The church has requested that our group park in the big lot at the end of the long entrance driveway and not along the driveway itself.
| 7:00 P.M. Monday, January 25th, 2010 at Palisades Lutheran Church 15905 Sunset Blvd. Pacific Palisades, CA 90272 |
First-time visitors are always welcome. Please call (310)
287-2721 if you plan to attend, and let us know if you will be bringing one
of the following: hors d’oeuvres, desserts, sodas, wine, or any culinary
creations that you think we might enjoy.
Sincerely yours,
Gerald D. Turbow
Friends of Operetta Meeting History
| 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) |
9 |
11/13/97 | Richard Traubner (operetta historian) presented a lecture on Zarzuela (Part I) |
8 |
07/15/97 | Michael Miller presented a video lecture entitled “Treasures from the Merry Video Vaults” |
7 |
04/01/97 | Dr. Loren Zachary spoke of his fascinating life / Michael Miller reviewed recent recordings |
6 |
12/13/96 | Michael Miller gave a talk entitled “Around the World in 80 Minutes” |
5 |
09/04/96 | Michael Miller gave a talk entitled “Operetta A to Z” |
4 |
01/19/96 | Richard Traubner (operetta historian) discussed operetta after Offenbach |
3 |
07/26/95 | Michael Miller gave a talk focusing on the works of Ivor Novello |
2 |
04/10/95 | Michael Miller gave a talk on operetta’s neglected masterpieces |
1 |
01/17/95 | Richard Traubner (operetta historian) talked on the world of operetta |