Visual and Performing Arts   

Mark Twain on opera: "I enjoyed it in spite of the singing." Join this lively class and discover the universal appeal of opera—no musical background required. Through engaging stories, videos, and guided listening, we will explore operas from the 18th to the 21st centuries that can be seen locally during this term or shortly thereafter, helping participants deepen their understanding, appreciation, and enjoyment of this remarkable art form. Learn how music, staging, and voice combine to create powerful theatrical experiences while uncovering the history, culture, and humanity that give these works their timeless resonance. Each session offers behind-the-curtain insights that make opera approachable, entertaining, and meaningful. Whether you are a first-time attendee or a seasoned opera enthusiast, this class welcomes you. 

This film series explores human survival in many forms: against nature, against circumstance, and sometimes against oneself. Consider the deadly heights of Mount Everest in Everest (2015), to the devastating tsunami at the center of The Impossible (2012), to the solitary search for meaning in Into the Wild (2007), and the struggle of a woman and her child during a years-long secret captivity in Room (2015).

These films—and more—place ordinary and extraordinary people in situations where survival becomes both physical and emotional tests. Along the way, we will explore the deeper questions these films raise about courage, isolation, hope, community and the human instinct to persevere. Join us for a cinematic journey into some of the most compelling stories of endurance ever brought to the screen.

All films will be shown in their entirety with English captions/subtitles.

Have you ever wondered how ballet dancers learn to dance with a partner? The simple answer is years of training and practice. This four-week course, offered by former professional dancers, explores how skilled ballet partners develop. By using curated videos, we will observe young ballet students in class as they learn the basic techniques of working with a partner. Then we’ll see professional dancers in rehearsals as they practice intricate moves building trust and teamwork for their performances on stage. Each class culminates with video performances of professionals partnering in pas de deux from famous and lesser-known ballets. We encourage discussion, so after each video there will be time for comments and questions, and we will provide the list of videos.

Art isn't something that happens to other people—it's a living conversation across centuries, and you're invited to join in. Artrageous wants to shock and amuse you, to understand, enjoy, and even make modern art—without the stuffiness. We will journey from the radical rule-breakers of late 19th-century Paris all the way to the dreamers and provocateurs of the Surrealist movement, stopping at every wild detour in between. This is not a lecture course. Each class blends rich visual presentations of landmark works with short film clips, participatory games, and creative exercises drawn directly from the art movements themselves. No prior knowledge of art history is required. What is required: an open mind, a willingness to be surprised, and a sense of humor.

August Wilson was the first African American playwright to have a Broadway theater bear his name, honoring his powerful portrayal of African American culture. In this course, we will read, watch, and examine plays from Wilson’s American Cycle, which represents each decade of the 20th century. We will explore his life and influences while focusing on Gem of the Ocean, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, and Seven Guitars, tracing his interpretation and celebration of African American culture.

This Osher Online course, offered through the Osher National Resource Center, lets you learn with fellow lifelong learners nationwide, guided by a world-class expert. OSHER ONLINE COURSES ARE NON-REFUNDABLE.

Climb aboard a fun musical train trip, making whistling stops in Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles, Oakland, Memphis, Houston, Cincinnati, and Jackson, Mississippi. Stops will feature music from the 1930s to the 1970s, presented chronologically, including soul, funk, blues, and gospel. Come discover America's national musical gems - mostly obscure, many never heard on radio - culled from over 50 years of research and personal vinyl digging. There will be opportunities to dance, as music from each city will be featured along with a weekly train song. The format resembles a live radio show or DJ session, with 85% of the time dedicated to listening. You'll also participate in discussions and provide feedback on tracks and videos. Join us on a one-of-a-kind aural adventure - without leaving your seat, that is, if you can stay seated! All aboard!

Class members should expect to see one of the facilitator's favorite films and be expected to take part in the discussion at the conclusion of the film. Films will likely include (based on availability) They Shoot Horses Don't They, Elmer Gantry, On The Beach along with five other films. Class will start at 12:45pm and may extend a few minutes past 3pm.

Need a break from the stress of the election? Then consider joining us for a weekly presentation of many of the classic and current stand-up comedians who have entertained us so hilariously over the years. We will cover male, female, ethnic, religious, global, and even political stand-up comedy, as well as touching on late-night comedy and sketch comedy. Background information will be provided on the performers. We will have plenty of time for questions and comments. Sid Caesar once said, "The best thing about humor is that it reminds people they are not alone", so let's get together and have some laughs with these amazing entertainers.

This course will cover the great Austro-Bohemian composer-conductor Gustav Mahler's childhood, when his musical gifts emerged, and will end with his appointment as Music Director of the Vienna Opera.

We will:

Learn how his narcissism, grandiosity, authoritarian tendencies, compulsive perfectionism, and musical genius allowed him to persevere and succeed, despite facing many obstacles, personal losses, and tragic love affairs.

Cover his time at the Vienna Conservatory, his truancy, the effect of his traits upon friendships, and the major influence of Richard Wagner upon him, as well as his rise from modest positions to prominent ones following graduation at nineteen.

Learn the details of his radically innovative conducting techniques and how they were both applauded and reviled by musicians subjected to his maniacal rehearsals.

Learn how his doomed romantic entanglements stimulated his composing.

Throughout the course, we will listen to musical excerpts illustrating how thoroughly autobiographical his music was.

Reading materials will be sent to participants.

Blake Edwards — the name brings up memories of famous comedies, but he is also known for Academy Award–nominated dramas. We start with his only pairing with Cary Grant in a WWII comedy. We move on to a crime drama and then two Hollywood greats: Breakfast at Tiffany's and Days of Wine and Roses. We then have Edwards's breakout movie, The Pink Panther, followed by other great Edwards comedies about an around-the-world car race, a composer obsessed with a beautiful woman, and finally a musical comedy about a female impersonator (or is she?). Again, we will have a short discussion before and after each movie to discuss the stars, the plot, and why the movie was successful. Due to the length of the movies, the class will start at 12:30 p.m. except week 6, which will start at 12:20 p.m.

This course shines the spotlight on brass instruments in the context of classical music—the trumpet, trombone, tuba, and horn. Highly accomplished musicians will visit us with their instruments, talk about their musical journeys, and play for us. Along the way, we will explore the history of these instruments, the composers they inspired, and the ways our musical world combines them to delight audiences. We will learn a bit about how they are built, how they work, and why they have become such mainstays of the concert world. The musicians plan to perform a brass quintet during one of the sessions.

Classical music goes back several centuries. During the modern era, however, there was a dichotomy in which many classical composers launched into contemporary styles — also known as abstract or atonal music — while others developed skills in writing movie scores. Many European classical composers, such as Max Steiner, Maurice Jarre, Miklós Rózsa, and Franz Waxman, made the move to California and created what is now recognized as the traditional film score. Filmmakers immediately saw the value of having these scores accompany the action and dialogue. The focus here is on dramatic film music and the various terms and styles that have developed. You will learn about many famous composers and the film scores they are known for. Please note that this does not include scores created for Hollywood musicals, which I have covered in several previous courses.

Across cultures and throughout history, mountains have held powerful symbolic meaning. In this course, we will explore how the Buddhists of the Himalayas, the Inca of the Andes, the Inuit of the far north, and European Romantics understood and approached these landscapes. Through an interdisciplinary lens, we will examine the beliefs, traditions, and mythologies inspired by the world’s mountains, using illustrated lectures, short readings, and discussion to deepen our connection to these high and wild places.

This Osher Online course, offered through the Osher National Resource Center, lets you learn with fellow lifelong learners nationwide, guided by a world-class expert. OSHER ONLINE COURSES ARE NON-REFUNDABLE.

At the heart of science fiction are big questions. Are we in control of the science and technology we create? What is the next step in human evolution? Are we alone in the universe, and what would happen if we made first contact with other intelligences? Science fiction is also a way of creating profound allegories about the societies we live in and the ones we hope or fear we will create. These are movies that make you think. In this class, we'll explore these questions and more through the medium of science fiction film. Aside from watching and discussing individual movies, the facilitator will provide background on each film and on science fiction in general.

Let’s go to the movies and see some Science Fiction classics. We will expose class members to many of the basic themes within the science fiction genre. Each week we will view a film and discuss various aspects of science and the story. Because of the varying length of the movies, we will start the class (and films) at 1:00 pm and end between 3:30 and 4. We will take a short break at the end of the film and then launch into our discussion.

Some of the varied movies we will show are the ground breaking first Star Wars IV movie, the adventure comedy Galaxy Quest, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, the terrific 2009 reboot of the Star Trek series, and The Martian with Matt Damon. 

This class will be a study of Argentine tango. We will learn about how the integration of cultures in Argentina led to and developed this complex and fascinating dance and music. We will also learn the basics of the dance. Neither age nor physical disabilities are impediments to basic dancing. Indeed, tango has been recognized as one of the most effective physical therapies for many disabilities, such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. No partner is necessary.

A deep dive into a shallow pond - Wham! - to explore the creation of the greatest cartoon characters in American history (Pow!). Not even Mickey Mouse could hold a candle to the loud, rough, rude, scattershot, machine-gun humor of Bugs, Daffy, Elmer, Porky, Taz, Yosemite Sam, Road Runner, Coyote, Tweety, Sylvester, Speedy, Witch Hazel, Foghorn Leghorn, and more. The most extraordinary talents in the business - Chuck Jones, Friz Freleng, Tex Avery, Bob Clampett, Frank Tashlin, all certifiably mad as hatters - developed the most fantastic characters in animation. They changed the very face of American comedy from vaudeville patter to rapid-fire wisecracks, biting sarcasm, and outrageous fun! Join the Wascally Wabbit on an eight-week wild ride!

Readings: Of Mice and Magic by Leonard Maltin; Chuck Amuck by Chuck Jones; Tex Avery: King of Cartoons by Joe Adamson

Movies are magic — entertaining, emotionally moving, sometimes with awesome effects; they create and spread unifying visions of our world. But they don't just "happen." Join us as we step behind the camera and take a journey through the eyes of the movie's creators: studio executives, producers, casting directors, actors, writers, cinematographers, editors, composers, technicians, and directors. You will understand what it takes to create the story, finance it, assemble the team, and produce the movies we all enjoy in this most collaborative of all arts. This course combines informative videos and group discussion and is appropriate for all levels of film fans.

This course examines the history of country and bluegrass music in the United States. We will learn that traditional ballads migrated from the British Isles to Appalachia between the mid-1800’s and early 1900’s. We will identify Scottish and Irish songs that became widely played in Appalachia in the early 1900’s. By examining the early recordings of country artists such as the Carter Family, Ernest Stoneman, and Jimmie Rogers, we will discover how musicians adapted songs originating in the British Isles. As we move to the 1930’s, we will learn about the impact of the Great Depression on country music and examine the origin of bluegrass music through pioneers like Bill Monroe and the Stanley Brothers. We will trace how early recordings influenced developments in country and bluegrass music up until 1960. Recorded songs, videos, and live music will help us understand and enliven the history of country and bluegrass music.

Recommended Reading: Ritchie, F., & Orr, D. (2021). Wayfaring strangers: The musical voyage from Scotland and Ulster to Appalachia, 2nd Ed. Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina Press.

This 8-week class focuses on some of the most powerful, important photographs in history, the stories behind them, and the photographers who captured them. Remember 'Migrant Mother,' symbol of the Great Depression? Flag raising at Iwo Jima? Rosa Parks on the bus? Apollo 11 moon landing? Tiananmen Square 'Tank Man'? V-J Day kiss in Times Square? Marilyn Monroe on a NYC subway grate? Afghan Girl? Photography impacts journalism, art, and sometimes history itself and how we see the world. It documents social and cultural conditions and sometimes entertains. Photographs show things not seen through words alone. They preserve family history and evoke personal memories and reflection. Come share thoughts about memorable and important photos of our and your times.

This course covers the biographies of Leonard Nimoy, Alan Rickman, and Madeline Kahn, along with lesser-known information about each—including high-interest trivia, such as Leonard Nimoy, who once drove a taxi for Senator Jack Kennedy. Nimoy drove at night, so that he could audition during the day. Additionally, videos of their work will be shown, followed by discussion.

Have you ever had a ‘driveway moment’ where music you never heard before left you so deeply moved that you just had to wait in your car until it was over to learn what you just heard? The plan for this class will be to bring you one driveway moment after another - introducing you to brilliant, fascinating, and inspiring music that you very likely have never heard. The facilitator has spent a lifetime uncovering these gems, and he looks forward to sharing what he’s found.

If you are unfamiliar with Walton's Façade or his First Symphony, Vaughan Williams' Oxford Elegy, Britten's War Requiem, Glière's Third Symphony, Delius' Mass of Life, or the music of Atterberg, for example, get ready for some seriously great listening. Obscure masterpieces from the Middle Ages until today will be explored. And along the way expect to learn about the composers and gain insights into this amazing music.