The Community
Opera Was Always
Popular Entertainment.
We're bringing that back — one opera, one conversation, once a week.
Not a course. Not a lecture. A recurring gathering for people who want opera to be part of their actual life.
What This Is
Opera began as popular entertainment — for everyone, not just the educated elite. Somewhere along the way it got expensive, formal, and intimidating. That's not the art form's fault. It's a presentation problem.
I grew up in a family where opera was the language spoken at home. My father was a dramatic tenor who performed Otello and Radames for thirty years. I trained at the Glinka Conservatory, performed at NOVAT, and debuted at Carnegie Hall. Opera is not abstract to me — it never was. And I believe I can make it not abstract to you.
For complete beginners
We start with La Bohème — a story about young artists, poverty, and love that is impossible not to feel. Then La Traviata, then Tosca. As a Russian speaker I can also walk you through Eugene Onegin and other Russian repertoire that most English-language programs can't touch. You'll understand the story, feel the music, and know why it hits the way it does.
For parents and people with complicated lives
Opera fits around real life. Play it in the car, in the background while you cook. Put it on around your children — it genuinely supports language and emotional development. Then once a week we meet, we talk about what we heard, and you realize you've built something you actually look forward to.
For professional singers
A place to say what performing a role actually takes. The rehearsal room reality, the vocal mechanics, the decisions you make under pressure that no one in the audience ever sees. Not a masterclass. A conversation between people who know the work from the inside — and the curious newcomers who want to understand it.
How It Works
Listen
During the week, you play the opera. In the car, at home, around the house. No preparation required.
Feel
Notice what it does to you. What confuses you, what moves you, what you want to understand better.
Gather
Once a week, live on video. I walk through the opera, you ask questions, we talk about what we heard.
Express Interest
Tell Me You're In
No payment yet. Just your name and email so I can send you the details when the first session is scheduled.