GRINNELL, Iowa – This academic year, Grinnell College will stream ten Metropolitan operas as part of the “Metropolitan Opera Live in HD” movie theater transmissions program. The first in the series, Wagner’s “Tristan und Isolde,” will be streamed at 11 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 8, at the Harris Center Cinema, 1114 10th Ave., Grinnell. Kelly Maynard, associate professor of history, will deliver the opera talk at 10:30 a.m.

“Tristan und Isolde” is a tragic story that follows an Irish princess, Isolde, who has been captured and taken to Cornwall aboard Tristan’s ship. Tristan’s uncle, King Marke, plans to marry Isolde, but she resolves to poison herself before he can. When the poison gets switched with a love potion, Isolde and Tristan begin their heartbreaking love affair.

Sir Simon Rattle conducts, and the show stars seasoned Wagnerians Nina Stemme and Stuart Skelton as Isolde and Tristan, respectively.

“Tristan und Isolde” is the first in a series of 10 operas to be broadcast at the Harris Center. All performances begin at noon, unless otherwise noted. Opera talks take place a half-hour before the broadcast. The remaining operas this season are:

• Oct. 22: Mozart’s “Don Giovanni” with an opera talk by Randye Jones, supervisor of the Burling Media Room.
• Dec. 10: Saariaho’s ” l’Amour de loin” with an opera talk by Gene Gaub, associate professor of music.
• Jan. 7, 2017: Verdi’s “Nabucco” with an opera talk by Don Smith, professor emeritus of history.
• Jan. 21: Gounod’s “Roméo et Juliette” with an opera talk by Kelly Maynard, associate professor of history.
• Feb. 25: Dvorak’s “Rusalka” with an opera talk by Jennifer Brown, associate professor of music.
• March 11: Verdi’s “La Traviata” with an opera talk by Jennifer Brown, associate professor of music.
• March 25: Mozart’s “Idomeneo.” There will be no opera talk before this performance.
• April 22: Tchaikovsky’s “Eugene Onegin” with an opera talk by Kelly Herold, associate professor of Russian.
• May 13, 11:30 a.m.: Strauss’ “Der Rosenkavalier.” There will be no opera talk before this performance.

Refreshments will be available for sale in the lobby of the cinema before each opera and during intermission.

Tickets are available at the Pioneer Bookshop and at the door on the day of the show. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students, children and Met Opera members.

The Office of the President has generously funded tickets for Grinnell College faculty, staff and students, and tickets are available for free at all locations. Family members not employed by the college are required to purchase tickets.

Grinnell College welcomes the participation of people with disabilities. Information about parking and accessibility is available on the college’s website: www.grinnell.edu. Accommodation requests may be made to Conference Operations at 641-269-3235 or calendar@grinnell.edu.

About Grinnell College
Since its founding in 1846, Grinnell has become one of the nation’s premier liberal arts colleges, enrolling 1,600 students from all 50 states and from as many countries. Grinnell’s rigorous academic program emphasizes excellence in education for students in the liberal arts; the college offers the B.A. degree in a range of departments across the humanities, arts and sciences. Grinnell has a strong tradition of social responsibility and action, and self-governance and personal responsibility are key components of campus life. More information about Grinnell College is available at www.grinnell.edu.