May 8, 2012 Meeting
5:30 p.m. at the University Club, 10th floor of the Fifth-Third Bank Building in downtown Grand Rapids. Free parking in the 5/3 underground parking area. Enter from Monroe and tell the attendant you are with the Torch club. A reservation form is at the bottom of this page.
May 8, 2012 Dinner Menu: Romaine and Spinach Salad with Walnuts, Roasted Pineapple & Red Pepper Shrimp with Mushroom, Asparagus & Lemon Risotto, Raspberry White Chocolate Gelato, House-made and Whole Grain Rolls, Coffee and Tea Service
GILBERT R. DAVIS, Professor Emeritus - Grand Valley State University, “Touring Early Grand Rapids Opera: From the Ridiculous to the Sublime”
Our city has 100 years of grand
and not-so-grand opera history prior to the 1968 birth of Opera Grand Rapids. From the middle of the nineteenth century local “opera houses” opened
their doors to Italian and American companies criss-crossing the nation to bring opera to the provinces. Grand Rapids audiences were thrilled by
Emma Abbot’s celebrated English Grand Opera and Anna Pavlova’s Boston National, but fly-by-night operators and scam artists also brought in their
share of turkeys--and we thought Mark Twain was making up the outrageous performances of his Duke and Dauphin in Huckleberry Finn! .
Nineteenth-century newspaper promotion of the touring companies often has a frontier flavor and the reviewers of out-of-town talent would let loose on them; but virtually every notable traveling company played Grand Rapids, and world-famous vocalists sang the impressive works of celebrated composers here—sometimes in the wake of train accidents, lost sets and music.
Emeritus professor Gil Davis retired from teaching Shakespeare at Grand Valley State University to spend more time as a scholar of operatic performance. Join us on May 8th for a lively and entertaining account of 144 years of Grand Rapids opera history!
Make Reservations
The meeting charge is $28 per person which includes your meal, payable at the door. Cash or check only. Bar is available. The meal menu will be posted at the top of this page approximately one week prior to the meeting.
Reservations are required. Walk-ins are welcome, but cannot be guaranteed a meal. Use the form below to make your reservations. Questions or phone reservations call 616-247-3796 or 616-706-4733.
Cancellation Policy: Reservations may be cancelled up to 3 p.m. on the Friday before the meeting. If you must cancel after the deadline, you will be responsible for paying the $28 meeting charge if we are unable to replace your reservation with another person.
Please enter your name, contact information, and the number of persons planning to attend. If your reservation is for more than one person, please include the names of the guests in the comment area. Let us know if you have any dietary restrictions (i.e. gluten or dairy intolerance). Please be prepared to pay at the door with check or cash only.