Visual and Performing Arts   

Join Jan, Neil, and maybe a guest lecturer, as we “Zoom” through 100 years of popular and lesser-known operas.  We will cover the bel canto works “La Sonnambula” and “I Puritani “ from the 1830s; the ever-popular “La Traviata” and “La Boheme”, and the verismo work “Andrea Chenier” from the Romantic mid and late 1800s.  We conclude with “Arabella”, from the 1930s.  These works can be seen during OLLI’s Fall term at the Metropolitan Opera’s Live in HD simulcasts at local theatres or Opera Colorado. Selections from each will be shown in class.  Please join us whether you are an experienced opera goer or new to the art form. 

Join former professional dancers Joy and Jeffrey Engel for a captivating journey through the history of ballet. Drawing from their wealth of experience, the Engels will guide participants through an engaging exploration of ballet's evolution, enriched by captivating videos and dynamic discussions.

We will start in the 15th century, examining ballet's origins in the royal courts of Italy and France. Our journey will then take us to the early 19th century, a transformative period known as the Romantic era, featuring iconic productions like *Giselle* and *La Sylphide*.

As we progress, we’ll delve into the hallmark ballets of the classical era, including beloved masterpieces such as *The Nutcracker*, *Swan Lake*, and *Sleeping Beauty*. In later classes, we will analyze the evolution of ballet styles, tracing the shift from Romantic and classical forms to the neoclassical influences and the contemporary dance styles that shape the art today. Join us to deepen your understanding and appreciation of this timeless dance form!

Classical keyboards: what might that be? Thunderous organ music by Bach? Dramatic piano sonatas of Beethoven? Delicate keyboard musings by Debussy? Even saucy creations of Gershwin? In this six-week online course, music historian and frequent OLLI program presenter Betsy Schwarm will feature all of those, and much more! We’ll consider how various keyboard instruments work and how some of the most beloved keyboard music came to be written. Betsy’s course, to be offered via Zoom, will include video performances of almost all the music, as well as opportunities for commentary and Q&A. No music reading required: just an active interest in discovering how this wonderful music came to be!

Explore and learn about the history and development of classical music, from small ensembles to the symphony orchestra, with a Colorado Symphony musician educator. Discover, explore, and compare the music-making techniques of master composers from every major era, including women composers and composers of color. We will listen to, discuss, and make observations about different instruments and compositions. This class will enhance the understanding and appreciation of classical music. OLLI students will learn the basic history of classical music, listen to and compare/contrast examples of music from all major historical periods, and learn about composers from each of those periods. Whether you’re a novice or a classical music aficionado, get ready to expand your knowledge and experience all sorts of new cool info from a professional musician and educator!

If you've ever said, “Why doesn’t my photo look like that?”—this course is for you. Composition and the Art of Chasing Light is a hands-on, six-week workshop for smartphone shooters and digital camera fans alike. Each week, we’ll spend an hour in the classroom learning the visual tricks of the trade—like symmetry, perspective, and framing—then head outside, after the first in-class hour, to the beautiful DU campus to put it all into practice. The last two weeks of the workshop will shift focus to mastering natural light: golden glow, moody shadows, and how to chase the sun. You’ll leave with sharper eyes, better shots, and a new appreciation for how light and structure shape your photos. Warning: You may never see a sidewalk crack or late afternoon sunbeam the same way again. Oh, and you'll finally understand why photographers are always squinting into the sun!

Ansel Adams once said, ”When you photograph people in color, you photograph their clothes. But when you photograph people in black and white, you photograph their souls!” Perhaps that’s exactly what director Steve Zaillian was after in his brilliant decision to film the 2024 Netflix series, “Ripley”, in stunningly beautiful black and white. Zaillian, who also wrote the screenplay, focuses on the moral ambiguity and duplicity of the anti-hero, Tom Ripley. This term we’ve decided to step away from the big screen films and instead take a closer look at the small screen TV series where, we feel, some of the most creative filmmaking is now taking place.

Zaillian’s Emmy award winning series is an eight-part adaptation of the Patricia Highsmith novel, “The Talented Mr. Ripley”. Each week we’ll watch one episode and then review it in detail. The episodes are approximately one hour long, which leaves us with plenty of time to discuss the acting performances, cinematography, directorial decisions, how the episode advances the plot, and any other cinematic techniques that you might discover. Join us for an in-depth look at how this TV series offers a novel dimension to this Noire inspired psychological thriller.

We show each episode with English subtitles for the hearing impaired.

Caution: The series depicts two brief scenes with violent content which may be off-putting to some.

This is the 7th and final course in our series of movies by the decade that started with the 1960s.  We will show just five movies, because we only have a half decade to cover (and because Larry is going on a wonderful trip).   The value and fun of the post-movie discussions depend on contributions from class members, although we are fine with some who want to just watch and listen.

The four movies we have selected are diverse and very highly rated by critics and audiences.  They are:

• 1. American Fiction, a 2023 dark comedy/satire/drama starring Jeffrey Wright;
• 2. The Holdovers, another 2023 comedy/drama directed by Alexander Payne starring Paul Giamatti;
• 3. Top Gun: Maverick, the 2022 Tom Cruise highly rated thrilling drama sequel to his not-highly-regarded 1986 Top Gun;
• 4. Little Women, the 2019 drama directed by Greta Gerwig and featuring an outstanding ensemble cast.
• 5. To be announced 

 

For nearly three hundred years, audiences have gathered all around the world to hear Handel’s brilliant oratorio, Messiah. In this class you will discover how Handel brought his masterpiece to life, and you’ll learn much about the composer himself along the way. We’ll take a close look at the musical devices and tricks that Handel and his soloists used to make this such a fascinating and brilliant work. We’ll examine some myths, misunderstandings, at least one scandal, and even some recent controversy raised about this much-loved piece. And finally, we will follow the journey that Messiah has taken for nearly three hundred years since that first performance in Dublin, the many versions, reworkings, and traditions that the work has engendered. What would Handel think of “Too Hot to Handel,” the "stompin' clappin'" jazz-gospel version of Messiah that Marin Alsop brought to the world in 1993? It's all here!

Discover the beautiful combination of detailed ink drawing and soft watercolor in this beginner-friendly course. Line and Wash is a timeless art technique that brings together the structure of sketching with the flow and spontaneity of watercolor, resulting in expressive and elegant artwork. Through simple step-by-step lessons and fun, creative exercises, you’ll learn how to trace and draw with ink, then bring your work to life using transparent watercolor washes. No experience is needed, but if you're also taking the Basic Color Theory course this term, it may help you better understand how colors blend and interact.

This is a hands-on and relaxing class, perfect for anyone who wants to explore a new art style, loosen up their watercolor skills, and enjoy the creative process using both pen and brush.

Supply list includes Waterproof black pens, Watercolor, Watercolor paper, Brushes, Pencil, Water jar, and paper towel and will be emailed in detail 1-2 week prior the course start.

Billy Wilder, the name may not conjure up recognition but name the movies and suddenly a light bulb goes on. His style ranged from comedies, heavy drama, crime dramas, and back to comedies. Wilder didn’t start out to be a director. He began as a screenwriter and many of his best-known movies were from screenplays he wrote. Join us as we look into the four decades Wilder made movies. We have a lost British soldier in the desert, an alcoholic, a married man with a midlife crisis, two crossdressing musicians on the run, an investigating Congresswoman, a Berlin executive vying for a promotion, a French policeman and a streetwalker, and a famous American flyer. Again, we will have a discussion after the 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.

In this course we'll begin by exploring the work and lives of five 19th century greats - Monet, Cezanne, Van Gogh, Picasso & Matisse - then move up the timeline to trace a path of a continuous innovation into the world of the early European Moderns such as Wassily Kandinsky and Joan Miro. From there, we'll continue into the mid 20th century Abstract Expressionist phenomenon, giving attention to such notables as Jackson Pollock and Joan Mitchell. We'll explore within these movements what's similar, what's different, and what's fascinating. Class time will be a combination of lecture, dialogue and demonstration using simple art-making tools—an all around attempt to experience a bit of the awe and wonder these amazing artists put forth.

Movie music is designed to marry the film it’s in—highs, lows, heroes, villains, action, love, and life stories. But beyond that, music brings its film to life, giving depth and meaning to what you are seeing. Come see the some of the Top Composers of this magic and their works. We will meet them, understand how they go about composing and listen to the best of their work through YouTube videos.

Posing Modernity is the revelatory investigation of how Black female models were foundational to the development of Modern Art. The exhibit, curated by Columbia University scholar Denise Murrell (resulting from the research done for her doctoral thesis) and the Musee d’Orsay curatorial team in Paris, examines the legacy of Manet’s infamous 19th century painting “Olympia” and traces its far reaching effect across the Atlantic with Matisse into the 20th century and the Harlem Renaissance where artists such as Charles Alston, Laura Wheeler Waring and William H. Johnson defied racial stereotypes. Join me as we take a deep look into this fascinating thesis. We will be reading from and studying the over 175 illustrations, photos and profiles of models, artists and literary personalities contained in the exhibition catalog, Posing Modernity, available online.

Recommended: Posing Modernity by Denise Murrell

This course will explore the musical genre that became known as The Blues, including the musical, historical, sociological, and economic factors that contributed to its origins and evolution. Some of these factors and events include the advent of slavery, Jim Crow laws and practices, the development of recordings and the record industry, the emergence of radio, television and, later, the internet. The course will introduce many of the progenitors of The Blues, as well as the musicians and others who influenced its growth. The class will provide the opportunity to hear and view a significant amount of music, in both audio and video formats. Over two semesters, the class will meet and listen to a wide range of performers, all of whom played or sang The Blues, or whose music was influenced by it. As the course progresses, we will focus on the evolution of The Blues itself and its transformation into the musical genres that became "branches" of The Blues, i.e. jazz, country music, rock 'n' roll, American folk music, rhythm and blues and "popular music."

This class will shine the spotlight on the wind instruments in the context of classical music – the flute, clarinet, oboe, English horn, bassoon and French horn. Highly accomplished musicians will visit 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 in the world of concerts. The musicians plan to perform a wind quintet for us during the final session.

Expanded weeks and new tips added to this class, which features the new user interface for Snapseed. A deep dive into the free Snapseed in-phone app for comprehensive, flexible tools for effective, professional edits and polish in post-production. Within each session, we will unpack techniques for optimal smartphone handling and improving photo capture for expressive images that sparkle with color, composition, and impact. Explore journaling in words to accompany and expand the pictorial message. Snapseed is great for making memory books, inspiring slide shows, and eye-catching Internet posts. Detailed instructions and examples to correct, optimize, and artistically interpret photos will be included.. There will be a PDF presentation of more than 200 slides, downloadable to follow along during the class and retain for later reference.

Recommended: Late model Smartphone, iphone 13 or later, with email capability, free Snapfeed app. 

Ever wondered if sci-fi gets it right? You’ll explore how iconic, highly rated films foresee social shifts and tech breakthroughs. While screening classic and current versions, we'll dissect cinematic prophecies and their surprising real-world echoes.

“A Trip to the Moon” (1902) propels us into space, “Terminator” (1984) and “Minority Report” (2002) examine AI's rise, dystopian societies, gadget predictions, surveillance, and bio-tech ethics. Discover how these movies and others reflect our anxieties and shape our tomorrows.

Get ready for lively chats and a fresh perspective from eight provocative science fiction stories. Through select film screenings, weekly readings and discussions, we will explore the intersection of film, technology, culture, the world to come and perhaps our current chaos.