Thomas Stewart -- WSWDC Award Winner
-   Saturday, May 20, 2000,  at the Old Europe Restaurant
The Second Annual WSWDC Award was presented to world- renowned bass-baritone Thomas Stewart at the second annual WSWDC banquet in Washington DC. The annual award is presented to acknowledge those who have made extraordinary contributions to the study and enjoyment of Wagner's art. The First Annual Award winner was Martin Feinstein, former General Director of The Washington Opera.

Stewart graciously accepted the award in the presence of more than 60 WSWDC members and guests, including his wife, world-famous soprano Evelyn Lear. Stewart was praised for his contributions to operatic performance during his career and for his participation in the Wagner Society. He said that he was deeply honored to receive the award -- noting that the combination of seriousness and camaraderie among members of the Society, as well as the restaurant's setting, reminded him of the Euler restaurant in Bayreuth, where Wagnerians gather to talk.  See Tribute to Thomas Stewart by John J. Pohanka, WSWDC Board member.

Henry-Louis de La Grange,  Mahler: Champion and Disciple of Wagner
-   Thursday, May 11, 2000,   The George Washington University
Noted French Musicologist and Biographer of Mahler, Henry-Louis de La Grange, gave a slideshow presentation on Mahler and Wagner. Professor de La Grange had just published the third volume of his prize-winning biography.  See a summary of his presentation.

Paul Heise on Der Ring des Nibelungen
-   Thursday, April 27, 2000,  
Paul Brian Heise has worked for 27 years on the theory that Wagner's Ring is conceptually unified. Heise spoke to show that the Ring is coherent, conceptually sophisticated, and unified from the beginning and that all of Wagner's other operas are related to the Ring. He demonstrated his view that the Ring is Wagner's allegory for the evolution of civilization itself -- the development of religion and art and the destruction of spiritual and humanist impulses by the objective, scientific spirit. He explained his view that directoral tampering with Wagner's intentions does untold damage to this most elaborate masterwork.  See a copy of his speech.

The Evelyn Lear and Thomas Stewart Young Artists Concert:  Wagner's Heroines
-   Thursday, April 13, 2000,  at The German Embassy, Washington DC
Mezzo-soprano Laura Zuiderveen and dramatic soprano Connie Coffelt were accompanied by pianist Gillian Cookson in a program of some of Wagner's most beloved works for female voices. Evelyn Lear and Thomas Stewart are not only two of the greatest singers in American operatic history, they also retain a keen interest in identifying and training young singers of exceptional talent and potential. In this way they continue the tradition of the highest artistic standards which they set in their own singing careers. The Society thanks The Coca Cola Company for its contribution to the reception and The German Embassy for its sponsoring of this event.  See biographies of the performers and the concert program.

Excursion to the Baltimore Opera's Tannhäuser
-   Sunday, March 26, 2000,  The Baltimore Opera, Baltimore MD
Members of the WSWDC took a delightful trip to see the Baltimore Opera's 1999-2000 season performance of Tannhäuser, culminating several months of focus on that opera.

Saul Lilienstein:  Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg -- A Fresh Look
-   Thursday, March 16, 2000
A distinguished musicologist, opera conductor, director, and WSWDC member lectured on the monumental Wagner masterpiece. Saul Lilienstein never repeats the same opera lecture; he develops each lecture with a new look at the opera's score, from the first note to the last (in Die Meistersinger, from the first C-major chord to the last).

Saul Lilienstein, a former student of Leonard Bernstein, was active in Baltimore in the 1960s as a choral conductor working as Music Director of the Handel Choir and The Hartford Choral Society. Subsequently, he turned to opera and produced and conducted fifty works as Artistic Director of The Hardford Opera Theater and Operetta Renaissance. As a professor, he has lectured at The Maryland Institute, Essex Community College, The Johns Hopkins School of Continuing Studies, Morgan State University, and The Peabody Conservatory. He is a frequent guest lecturer. His music articles have appeared in newspapers throughout the United States. Last year, he lectured in the Opera Insights series of The Washington Opera on Tristan und Isolde. In that series he has just finished three lecture on Verdi's Otello.

Phillip W. Raines:   Tannhäuser -- A Video and Discussion Program
-   Thursday, March 2, 2000,  at The George Washington University
Wagner Society Board of Directors member and opera reviewer, Phil Raines, presented a compilation of excerpts from various video productions of Tannhäuser and then led a discussion of them.
In preparation for the Wagner Society trip to Werner Herzog's production of Tannhäser in Baltimore, this presentation was designed to familiarize the audience with two polarized views of production regarding this opera. Video clips from a Munich Opera production, which was extremely avant garde, were contrasted with the Metropolitan Opera's production in conventional style vis-à-vis the Met Ring traditional staging. Climactic high points were chosen to be shown back to back, in order to hear the same music with contrasting visual impact.

The speaker decided to not attempt to bias the audience in any way, regarding taste of production or of performance of singing, but rather to present the material as is, and to let the discussion bloom afterwards. The discussion following was indeed lively, with at least one audience member bluntly noting that the Munich production was "trash " while others defended the insight of new productions on our social consciousness. There was much discussion with the speaker afterward, resulting in the Munich tape's being lent out and a member of the audience new to Wagner being intrigued enough to explore his art further. That person, we are proud to say, is now a member of the WSWDC. It was a wonderful evening to experience the expertise and opinions of the members in the audience.

Discussion with Iain Scott:   Tannhäuser
-   Thursday, February 17, 2000:  at The George Washington University
Iain Scott of Toronto, one of Canada’s leading experts on opera and a frequent broadcaster, explored Tannhäuser with members of the WSWDC. He included audio excerpts from some of his favorite performances as well as an informative analysis of the opera's structure.

Mr. Scott is a broadcaster, teacher, and prolific writer on opera.  He appears regularly on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's (CBC) national opera programs, and appeared regularly as a panelist on the Texaco Opera Quiz in Metropolitan Opera Broadcasts between 1987 and 1995. He lectures frequently on opera in Canada and the United States and annually teaches two opera courses at the University of Toronto. He often writes program notes and magazine articles about opera. He is a member the Board of Directors of the Canadian Opera Company and of the Music Faculty Dean’s Advisory Board at the University of Toronto. Mr. Scott is the Chief Human Resources Officer for William M. Mercer, Ltd.

The Richard Burton Wagner Film
-   Thursday, January 27, 2000,  at The George Washington University
The Society quite bravely decided to show the entire Tony Palmer miniseries on Richard Wagner. Though it was not sucessful in fitting the whole 12 hours into three sessions, we managed to finish it in four! Phil Raines, a member of the Society's Board of Directors, led discussions at the end of each session.

Jeannie Williams,  Jon Vickers: A Hero's Life
-   Thursday, January 13, 2000
Jon Vickers: A Hero’s Life, by Jeanie Williams, with a foreword by Birgit Nilsson, was published in November by the Northeastern University Press. This book is the first biography of one of the greatest tenors of the 20th Century. Through extensive interviews, some with Vickers, Jeannie Williams manages to balance legends and facts -- presenting all sides.
Ms. Williams is a staff columnist for USA Today and has written on opera for many respected publications, including Opera Quarterly, Opera News, and BBC Music Magazine. She reviewed her book and played excerpts from some of Jon Vickers’ greatest roles.  See more information.

Andrew Gray, "Wagner Says NO! "
-   December 9 1999
Andrew Gray, a member of the WSWDC, is the translator of Richard Wagner's Mein Leben, edited by Mary Whittall (New York:  Da Capo Press. 1992). In his provocative talk titled "Wagner Says No!", Gray defended Wagner's character against what he says are "the gross and continuing distortions and sheer nonsense that prevail in public forms." Gray said, "I tend to believe that almost everything said in public about Wagner is wrong one way or the other and that the same is true about everything said in print."

Speight Jenkins, " Wagner in Seattle "
-   November 4 1999, at The George Washington University
Speight Jenkins, General Director of the Seattle Opera, shared his experiences and ideas of producing Wagner operas. The Seattle Opera has a long history of Wagerian opera, and is currently preparing for a new production of Der Ring des Nibelungen for fall 2001. His presentation included many slides and musical excerpts from different productions.  See more on Seattle Opera.

An Evening with Thomas Stewart
-   October 14, 1999  
Thomas Stewart, the internationally renowned bass-baritone, shared his thoughts about his career and experiences singing opera roles. Sound excerpts of selected roles were presented.  See more on Thomas Stewart (The originally scheduled program was canceled owing to hurricane Floyd; it was rescheduled with the generous cooperation of Saul Lilienstein.)

Stefan Mickisch,  Piano Concert Performance of Wagner's Music
-  June 24, 1999
Stefan Mickish, noted pianist and lecturer at Bayreuth, performed his own piano transcriptions of Tristan und Isolde, Parsifal, Der Meistersinger, and the Ring.  See more on Mickisch.

First Annual Banquet and Award Ceremony
-   June 1, 1999,  at the Old Europe Restaurant in Washington DC
Martin Feinstein received the first Wagner Society of Washington DC Award -- presented to acknowledge those who have made extraordinary contributions to the study and enjoyment of Wagner's art.

William L. Berger,  Wagner and Architecture
-   May 13, 1999
William L. Berger, author of Wagner Without Fear, spoke to the novice and the expert alike on his original, enlightening, and entertaining interpretation of the relationship of architecture and Wagner's art.

Siegfried,  the Fritz Lang classic movie
-   April 14, 1999
A pre-movie lecture on the movie Siegfried was given by Professor Marie Travis of The George Washington University.

Wolfgang Wagner, General Director of the Bayreuth Festival
-   February 28, 1999,  at The Kennedy Center
Wolfgang Wagner met with members and friends of the WSWDC at The Kennedy Center. In a lively question-and-answer session, he discussed his ideas about the Bayreuth Festival.   He spoke also (in German) at the German Embassy in Washington DC on February 26, 1999.  Read a transcript of the latter, and see a picture of Herr Wagner.

The Washington Opera Backstage Tour
-   February 27, 1999
Members of the WSWDC received a tour of the sets of The Washington Opera's Tristan und Isolde, as well as a glimpse of the stage equipment, dressing, costume, and wig rooms, under the leadership of Society Founder Janice F. Rosen.

Hospitality Suite
-   February 27, 1999
Members of the Society hosted receptions during intermissions at the opening night of the opera. Special guests included officers and members from the Wagner Societies of New York, Dallas, and Chicago.

Dr. Donald Crosby, "Beyond Analysis: Tristan und Isolde"
Dr. Crosby, Professor Emeritus of German Studies and Comparative Literature at the University of Connecticut, gave a lecture and analysis of Tristan und Isolde for The Washington Opera. See Professor Crosby's analysis.

Joan Tasker Grimbert, "Modern Misconceptions of the Medieval Tristan Legend"
-   January 7, 1999
Joan Tasker Grimbert, Associate Professor, Catholic University of America spoke to the WSWDC.  See an abstract of Professor Grimbert's lecture.

Monte Stone,  The Ring Disc
-   December 10, 1998,  at The George Washington University
Monte Stone, creator of the Ring Disc demonstrated and described its challenging development and powerful features.  View a picture of Monte Stone, presenting his talk.

Martin Feinstein,  " Reminiscences of Wagner Performances"
-   November 17, 1998  
View a picture of Martin Feinstein, former General Director of The Washington Opera, as he reminisced for WSWDC.

Penelope Turing,  " Wolfgang Wagner's productions in New Bayreuth"
-   October 8, 1998
Penelope Tuning, author of two books:  The New Bayreuth and Hans Hotter spoke to the WSWDC.

Stefan Mickisch, pianist,   Concert: Richard Wagner -- Paraphrases
-   June 2, 1998,  at The German Embassy
Stefan Mickisch gave a piano recital, which featured Mickisch's own paraphrases of several operas by Wagner and piano pieces by philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche.

J. K. Holman,  "Wagner's Ring: Listening to Leitmotivs"
-   June 16, 1998
Jim Holman, Chairman of the WSWDC and author of Wagner's Ring:  A Listener's Companion and Concordance was our popular June speaker.  View a picture of Jim Holman.

WSWDC Group Trip to Baltimore for a Baltimore Opera performance of Der fliegende Holländer
-  May 2, 1998,  at the Baltimore Opera House

Dr. Rosamund Bartlett,  " Wagner on the Russian Stage"
-   March 25, 1998
Dr. Rosamund Bartlett, Professor, University of Manchester, was the March presenter.

Donald Crosby:  "The Literary sources of Tristan und Isolde"
-   January 22, 1998
Donald Crosby, Professor Emeritus of German Studies and Comparative Literature at the University of Connecticut, spoke to the WSWDC in January.