Discover fascinating details about the life and work of Josephine Baker with the French Resistance during World War II. Learn how William Shakespeare, as a playwright and poet, has been an inspiration for operatic productions from his era through the present day. Hear about the 1851 novel by Henri Murger that inspired Giacomo Puccini’s opera La bohème. Whether you are an opera lover, or simply operatically curious, these informal and educational virtual lectures presented by the New Orleans Opera as part of its ALLONS! series are not to be missed.

Join Dr. Kristen Burton, formerly of the National World War II Museum, on January 27 for an evening of  insights into the life of Josephine Baker and her successes as a singer, dancer, and agent for the French Resistance.  This opening program for the lecture series ties into New Orleans Opera’s recent presentation of An Homage to Josephine Baker at the Marigny Opera House. The production combined Tom Cipullo’s opera, Josephine, with the Marigny Opera Ballet’s world premiere of a related ballet. Burton earned her Ph.D. in Transatlantic History in 2015 from the University of Texas at Arlington. She is a historian of cultural and social history, specializing in cross-cultural exchanges and personal encounters across the Atlantic Basin.

On February 3,  Tyrone Hayes will illuminate several examples of Shakespeare’s influence on operatic compositions up to the present day, highlighting specific works that have made it to the stage. Hayes, a native of New Orleans, is a doctor of musical arts candidate in voice performance and pedagogy at the University of Southern Mississippi. A baritone, Hayes’ past performances include Marcello in La bohème, Renato in Un Ballo in Maschera, and both Count Monterone and the title role in Rigoletto.

On March 3, Dr. Felicia McCarren will offer insights into the Puccini’s appropriation of Henri Murger’s book  Scènes de la vie de bohème as a source of  inspiration for La bohéme. McCarren, a professor of French at Tulane University and associated faculty in film studies, is a cultural historian and performance theorist. She is the author of four books on the history of performance.

The ALLONS! lecture series was piloted in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic and is an acronym for Adventurous Lectures for Lovers of Opera Now Streaming. It also has an intentional double meaning: the English translation of the French word “allons” is “let’s go!”

All lectures take place at 7 p.m. via Zoom. Tickets are available for $12. To learn more, click here.