November 1, 8, 15, 29 with a special lecture on November 18
"Opera in Cedar Rapids: Mozart to Weill"
Kesler Lecture Hall in Hickok Hall

What do Mozart's beloved "The Magic Flute" and Kurt Weill's innovative "The Threepenny Opera" have in common? The Cedar Rapids community will be treated to performances of both these shows in the coming year.

As a prelude to the Cedar Rapids Opera Theatre's January production of "The Magic Flute," Coe's Pearl M. Taylor Professor Emeritus of Music Allan Kellar will introduce the "real" Mozart. Illuminating the unique compositional qualities of the opera, Kellar will present musical highlights of "The Magic Flute" and situate it in the history of opera.

In the second week, Mark Elliott will present historic recordings and video excerpts from "The Magic Flute." Elliott will also focus on the Masonic elements present in the opera, discussing the symbolism in "The Magic Flute" in reference to its larger meaning in the context of Free Masonry.

CHANGE FROM ORIGINAL SCHEDULE: Susan Wolverton's Nov. 15 presentation is cancelled. Mark Stoffer Hunter will give his lecture on the history of Cedar Rapids opera & vaudeville houses twice: on Thursday, Nov. 15 at 9:15 a.m. and on Sunday, Nov. 18 at 2 p.m. as originally scheduled.

A free public lecture by Cedar Rapids historian Mark Stoffer Hunter on the dynamic role of opera and vaudeville houses in the late 19th and early 20th century, when Cedar Rapids was host to the best musical entertainment available in the Midwest, will complement this month's forum. The lecture will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 18 in Kesler Lecture Hall.

After the Thanksgiving break, November's forum will conclude with Dennis Barnett discussing the work of Kurt Weill, the composer of "The Threepenny Opera," which will be presented at Coe in March. Weill's oeuvre is significant in its diversity, including symphonic works, operas, and chamber pieces, as well as projects for the German stage, Broadway and Hollywood.