THE OPERETTA – MUSIC, WIT, AND SATIRE (18) The Summit at Halfmoon, 29 Sitterly Rd, Halfmoon 12065

Thursdays, 9:30-11:00am, April 17, 24, May 1, 8, 15, 22

Operetta as a musical art form became hugely popular in the nineteenth century, in no small part thanks to works by the likes of Gilbert and Sullivan and Johann Strauss.  Operettas are short, romantic, comical, and always have a happy ending – what’s not to like!  Come explore the evolution of the art form and enjoy snippets of the plots and the music.  Students will be given a discount on tickets to see Opera Saratoga’s production of Offenbach’s La Vie Parisienne this summer!

1. What is an Operetta?

2.  Operettas in French – Jaques Offenbach

3.  Operettas in German – Johann Strauss

4.  Operettas in German – Franz Lehar

5.  Operettas in English – Gilbert and Sullivan

6. Gilbert and Sullivan – continued

Leader: Carol Markley is a life-long opera lover and is on the Board of Directors for Opera Saratoga. She has taught opera classes for ALL and is now venturing into the popular genre of the operetta.

SELECTED SHORTS, A Collaborative Journey Through the Infinite World of the Short Story (12) Art Room at Prestwick Chase, 100 Saratoga Blvd., Saratoga Springs, NY 12866

Thursdays, 9:30-11am, April 17, 24, May 1, 8, 15, 22

Stories are as varied as their authors and their times. Each has its own world, its own characters, setting and style. We will read two or three examples each week and share our thoughts. Some famous, some not so much, new and old, foreign and domestic. The universe of stories is so vast that twelve to eighteen will barely be representative but there’s always next spring and beyond. Join me for the journey.

Text: 2 or 3 stories per week TBD. Participants will be provided with copies of the stories to be discussed.

Leader: Fred Ziemann is a local writer, retired microbiologist, who holds an MFA in creative writing from

Vermont College. He has participated in over a dozen workshops with various authors with the NYS Writer's Institute. As a practitioner of the art for many decades, he is always learning and wants to share his love of the form in all its varieties.