Opera Wilmington and Osher Livelong Learning Institute at UNCW continue their collaboration to bring you Opera Talks focused on two Met Opera Live in HD screenings in April and May.

UNCW opera historian and bassist Dr. Helena Kopchick Spencer again guides Opera Talk attendees through the stories behind the operas as well as the operas themselves.

Coming up next is Eugene Onegin, at times celebratory, at times poignant and heartbreaking. Timing is everything in this opera, which Tchaikovsky based on a verse novel by Alexander Pushkin. Onegin, a man of society, gets his timing all wrong, rejecting the love of Tatiana, a country girl, when they first meet.

When he sees her again five years later, he realizes that he loves her deeply. Tatiana is now married, however, and refuses to leave her husband even though she still harbors great affection for Onegin.

Expanding our understanding of the opera and the world in which it takes place is the purpose of Opera Talks. Kopchick Spencer brings her enthusiasm, vast knowledge and sense of humor to each one.

The final session, May 27, spotlights El Último Sueño de Frida y Diego, a contemporary work by Gabriela Lena Frank. This “last dream” of the famous artists is fashioned as a reversal of the Orpheus and Euridice myth. Frida Kahlo leaves the underworld on the Day of the Dead to unite briefly on earth with her lover Diego Rivera.

Opera Talks

Cinemark Myrtle Beach

Mayfaire Town Center

University of Delaware Wilmington Campus

Opera Wilmington presents a double bill of passion, sacrifice, and unforgettable music with the staging of these two Italian one-acts.

The pairing, according to Opera Wilmington Artistic Director Nancy King, “offers a compelling narrative arc, putting women’s voices at the center of both works.”

Puccini was inspired by the success of Mascagni’s one-act Cavalleria rusticana to write three one-acts himself. That set, which he called Il Trittico (The Triptich), consists of Suor Angelica, Il Tabaro and Gianni Schicci. Suor Angelica, however, is often staged on its own.

Set in a convent, the opera tells of the personal heartbreak and uplifting religious redemption of a young sister, Suor Angelica.

Mascagni’s Cavalleria rusticana is a tale of love, jealousy and revenge, set in Sicily. The opera’s Intermezzo is often performed as an orchestral piece.

Opera Wilmington

Apr 29 - May 6, 2026

Opera Talks

17 - 26 Jul, 2026

Puccini’s Suor Angelica Mascagni’s Cavelleria Rusticana

Apr 29 - May 6, 2026

Opera Talks

Opera Wilmington