Academy Forum: Illuminating The Shining - Love, Sacrifice & Ghosts...?

Illuminating The Shining - Love, Sacrifice & Ghosts...?

Join Opera Parallèle as we put Stephen King's The Shining under the spotlight. We'll take a walk down the corridors of The Overlook Hotel with expert panelists to explore the psychology of King's famous characters and uncover the lesser known themes of love, sacrifice and generational ties explored in this work. What is the enduring appeal of this story? How much of King's work is autobiographical? Why do we crave horror? How does opera best shed new light on these universal themes? Join us to find out more about this classic novel before seeing it live on stage this June. This event will also include a sneak peek performance from OP’s upcoming production with soprano Kearstin Piper Brown (playing Wendy Torrance) and pianist Kevin Korth. This event is part of OP's 'Bullhorn' community programs.

For more information and tickets to OP's production of The Shining visit operaparallele.org/theshining

Panelists:

• Kearstin Piper Brown - Soprano - https://www.kearstinpiperbrown.com/
• Katie Hafner - Journalist & Author of ‘The Boys’ - https://katiehafner.com/
• Dr. Indre Viskontas - Neuroscientist & Stage Director https://www.indreviskontas.com/
• Moderated by Daniel Harvey - OP  Artistic & Community Manager

6:00pm — Doors Open

6:30pm — Program Begins

TO ATTEND

Academy Forum events are open to all. Please reserve your general admission spot for this limited-capacity indoor event.

TICKETS

• Academy Members FREE
• $20 Non-Member

MEMBERSHIP

The Academy is currently accepting new memberships. If you are interested in becoming a Member and enjoying all of the associated perks and benefits, please click here to learn more.

ABOUT THE PANELISTS

Katie Hafner

Katie Hafner is a journalist and author who was on staff atThe New York Times for ten years.  She is the author of six non-fiction books, including the memoir, Mother Daughter Me; A Romance on Three Legs: Glenn Gould's Obsessive Quest for the Perfect Piano (which Kirkus called "the musical version of Seabiscuit"); The House at the Bridge: A Story of Modern Germany; Where Wizards Stay Up Late: The Origins of the Internet (with Matthew Lyon). She is host and co-executive producer of the popular podcast, Lost Women of Science. Her first novel,The Boys, was published in July 2022. She lives in San Francisco with her husband, Bob Wachter.

Dr. Indre Viskontas, MM, PhD

Indre Viskontas is a neuroscientist, opera stage director and science communicator across all mediums. Combining a passion for music with scientific curiosity, she is an Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of San Francisco where she runs The Creative Brain Lab, and the Creative Director of Pasadena Opera. She leads the Communications Core at the Sound Health Network, promoting research and public awareness of the impact music can have on our health and well-being. She directed Kat’a Kabanova at the California Shakespeare Theater for West Edge Opera in the summer of 2021.

Dr. Viskontas received a BSc in psychology and French literature from the University of Toronto, an MM degree in vocal performance from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and a PhD in cognitive neuroscience from UCLA. She has published more than 50 articles and book chapters related to the neural basis of memory, music and creativity.  Her scientific work has been featured in Oliver Sacks’ book Musicophilia, Nature: Science Careers and Discover Magazine. She has also written for American Scientist, MotherJones.com, Vitriol Magazine and other publications. Her first book, How Music Can Make You Better, was published by Chronicle Books in 2019.

She has co-hosted several TV and web series, and has appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show, PBS NewsHour, major radio stations across the US, including NPR’s City Arts & Lectures and the CBC’s The Sunday Edition. She is the host of the popular science podcast Inquiring Minds, downloaded more than 14 million times. Her other podcast, Cadence: what music tells us about the mind was a finalist for the Science Media awards, a 2021 Webby Awards Honoree, and is in its third season, with over 100,000 downloads.

She often gives keynote talks, for organizations as diverse as Genentech, the Dallas Symphony, SXSW, TEDx and Ogilvy along with frequent invited talks at conferences and academic institutions. She has created three 24-lecture courses for The Great Courses: Essential Scientific Concepts, Brain Myths Exploded: Lessons from Neuroscience and How Digital Technology Shapes Us. She is currently working on a fourth course called The Creative Brain.

Kearstin Piper Brown

American soprano Kearstin Piper Brown has delighted audiences in lead roles with companies including San Francisco Opera (It’s a Wonderful Life, Heggie/Scheer), Lincoln Center Theater (Intimate Apparel, Gordon/Nottage), New Orleans Opera (La Bohème, Illica & Giacosa), Opera Colorado (Le Nozze di Figaro, Mozart, and Da Ponte), Opera Memphis (Orpheus, Gluck/Calzabigi), Cape Town Opera (Porgy and Bess, Gershwin/Heyward), Utah Festival Opera (Ragtime, Flaherty/Ahrens/McNally), Utah Lyric Opera (La Traviata, Verdi/Piave), Arbor Opera Theater (Carmen, Bizet/Meilhac/Halévy), Opera in Williamsburg (The Magic Flute, Mozart/Schikaneder) and the Center for Contemporary Opera (Falling Angel, Scearce/Thurber). Ms. Brown’s concert career includes performances with the Atlanta Symphony, Dallas Symphony, Rochester Philharmonic, Pasadena Symphony, San Jose Chamber Orchestra, Moscow City Symphony, Belarussian State Philharmonic, Residentie Orkest, Amsterdam Sinfonietta, Lebanon Symphony, Cedar Rapids Chorale, Rochester Oratorio Society, New York Festival of Song, Rochester Early Music Festival, and the Gateways Music Festival.

FOOD & BEVERAGE

Beverages (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) and food items are available for purchase. Our menus can be found here. Academy Social Club Members receive certain beverages complimentary. Ask your bartender or host for details.

CLUB INFORMATION (FOR MEMBERS)

The Club will also be open during regular hours for Members and their guests not attending this event.

SAFE SPACE

The Academy is a safe space for all—in particular members of our LGBTQ+ community. We encourage you to learn more about our safe space principles & policies by clicking here.

ACCESSIBILITY

We strive to host inclusive, accessible events that enable all individuals, including individuals with disabilities, to engage fully. The event venue has an accessible entrance and restroom facilities. Please contact us if you have questions or specific requests regarding access.