Upcoming 6-Part Course about Singing with Jason Victor Serenius

VOICES THAT TOUCH THE HEART

A Six-Series Class with Critic Jason Victor Serinus

Classes will be held on six Wednesday eves
October 13 – November 24
at Oakland’s historic Bellevue Club across from Lake Merritt
Co-sponsored by the Bellevue Club and Berkeley West Edge Opera


Jason Victor Serinus and the Bellevue Club, with the co-sponsorship of Berkeley West Edge Opera, present a six-week class on the great voices that make opera and art song a transcendent experience. With the use of an excellent sound system and the occasional DVD, classes will focus on vocal masterpieces of opera and song. By listening to and discussing different singers and interpretations recorded over the past 106 years, we’ll develop critical standards, comprehend what makes for greatness, and have a ball.

Our goal is to increase the joy we experience when great singers give their all. Singers who touch the heart and thrill, and music slated for local performance will receive special attention. Expect spontaneity, surprises, laughter and tears, as this ever entertaining and knowledgeable critic tailors classes to the needs and desires of attendees.

Sessions will be held at Oakland’s historic Bellevue Club on Lake Merritt on six Wednesday evenings, 7-8:30 p.m, starting October 13. (No class November 10, to allow everyone to attend either the opening night of San Francisco Opera’s The Makropulos Case with Karita Mattila or Measha Brueggergosman’s San Francisco Performances-sponsored recital in Herbst Theatre).

Class Registration:
General Public: $100 for the six-week series, or $20 per class
Bellevue Club members: $75 for the six-week series, or $15 per class
Pre-registration is greatly appreciated.

Registration Particulars:
Pre-payment may be made by check or credit card.
Please make out your check to the Bellevue Club, and send to The Bellevue Club, 525 Bellevue Ave., Oakland, CA 94610. Please note “Vocal Class” on your check.
For credit card payment, either phone your card information into the Bellevue Club, 510-451-1000, or pay at the front desk.

Jason Victor Serinus has spent over five decades exploring great vocal artistry. His performance and CD/DVD reviews, interviews, features, and editorials have appeared in Gramophone, Opera News, Opera Now, Carnegie Hall Playbill, San Francisco Magazine, San Francisco Classical Voice, San Francisco Examiner, San Francisco Chronicle American Record Guide, Bay Area Reporter, Stereophile, East Bay Monthly, East Bay Express, hometheaterhifi.com, and many other publications. He also writes a twice-monthly blog for Telarc Records. Forthcoming are pieces for California Magazine and the Stanford Lively Arts program guide.

As a professional musician, Jason whistled Puccini’s “O mio babbino caro” as The Voice of Woodstock in the Emmy-nominated Peanuts cartoon, She’s a Good Skate, Charlie Brown. Dubbed The Pavarotti of Pucker, he has performed everywhere from The Tonight Show and the Berkeley Opera Gala to the Chapel of the Chimes and Pier 39. See http://www.jasonserinus.com.

Jason has taught these classes for Osher Lifelong Learning (OLLI) at both UC Berkeley and San Francisco State. In spring 2011, he will again teach at both OLLIs. Jointly publicized by San Francisco Opera, those classes will focus in part on great performances of Wagner's Ring Cycle on CD and DVD. The current class is co-sponsored by the Bellevue Club and Berkeley West Edge Opera.

For more information, please contact the Bellevue Club (510-451-1000) or
Richelle Lieberman at either scarletbohemian@aol.com or 510-381-1973.