11.24.2013
Date: November 24, 2013
Venue: Detroit Opera House
Speaker: Members of the Michigan Opera Theatre Orchestra
Participants had an exciting opportunity to explore the world of opera through a day trip to Detroit to see Verdi's La Traviata at the Detroit Opera House! This event took place on Sunday, November 24th. Our medical students and house officers were bussed to Detroit, and along the ride Dr. Joel Howell prepared them with background information and a quick synopsis. This was particularly helpful as many participants had never seen an opera before. This opera was being programmed as part of Verdi's 200th birthday celebration. Following the show, students were joined by the conductor and members of the Michigan Opera Theatre Orchestra in a dinner discussion. Below is Med Ambassador Chelsea Reighard's account of her experience.
Venue: Detroit Opera House
Speaker: Members of the Michigan Opera Theatre Orchestra
Participants had an exciting opportunity to explore the world of opera through a day trip to Detroit to see Verdi's La Traviata at the Detroit Opera House! This event took place on Sunday, November 24th. Our medical students and house officers were bussed to Detroit, and along the ride Dr. Joel Howell prepared them with background information and a quick synopsis. This was particularly helpful as many participants had never seen an opera before. This opera was being programmed as part of Verdi's 200th birthday celebration. Following the show, students were joined by the conductor and members of the Michigan Opera Theatre Orchestra in a dinner discussion. Below is Med Ambassador Chelsea Reighard's account of her experience.
Med Ambassador Write Up:
Our crew of medical students, residents, and attending physicians left for the Detroit Opera House on a chilly, November afternoon. Dr. Howell, our resident opera expert, gave us a brief overview of La Traviata in addition to a few pointers on how to best experience the opera before we arrived. Throughout the performance, I took Dr. Howell's advice and listened closely to the cues the orchestra gave the audience. Although this experience was not the first time I had gone to an opera, or even the first time I had heard La Traviata, I had never listened so carefully. The personalities of the characters and the deteriorating health of Violetta seemed so much fuller once I closed my eyes and simply listened, not only to the voices but also to the music. La Traviata is a tragic opera, one where the realities of terminal illness are untidily wrapped up into three acts of romance and heartbreak, one that illustrates the fascinating intersection of art and medicine.
After the performance, we had the unique privilege of dining and conversing with the orchestra members and the conductor. Our career paths appear disparate, requiring different silos of knowledge and training--one purely musical, the other purely medical; however, at the core of our careers, dedication and perseverance prevail. The hours the musicians spend practicing mirror the hours the medical students spend studying. The musicians must train their ears to hear subtle changes in key and pitch, while the medical students and physicians must train their ears to listen to their patients. We both bring our hearts and souls into our practice. In the end, we are not that different after all.
Our crew of medical students, residents, and attending physicians left for the Detroit Opera House on a chilly, November afternoon. Dr. Howell, our resident opera expert, gave us a brief overview of La Traviata in addition to a few pointers on how to best experience the opera before we arrived. Throughout the performance, I took Dr. Howell's advice and listened closely to the cues the orchestra gave the audience. Although this experience was not the first time I had gone to an opera, or even the first time I had heard La Traviata, I had never listened so carefully. The personalities of the characters and the deteriorating health of Violetta seemed so much fuller once I closed my eyes and simply listened, not only to the voices but also to the music. La Traviata is a tragic opera, one where the realities of terminal illness are untidily wrapped up into three acts of romance and heartbreak, one that illustrates the fascinating intersection of art and medicine.
After the performance, we had the unique privilege of dining and conversing with the orchestra members and the conductor. Our career paths appear disparate, requiring different silos of knowledge and training--one purely musical, the other purely medical; however, at the core of our careers, dedication and perseverance prevail. The hours the musicians spend practicing mirror the hours the medical students spend studying. The musicians must train their ears to hear subtle changes in key and pitch, while the medical students and physicians must train their ears to listen to their patients. We both bring our hearts and souls into our practice. In the end, we are not that different after all.
Gallery
Check back after the show for pictures of the event.
Contact Us
If you have any questions about the Medical Arts Program, please contact the Medical Arts Program Assistant at medarts.info@umich.edu