Puccini Met opera is Jan. 17
Giacomo Puccini’s “La fanciulla del West (The Girl of the West )” is the next Metropolitan Opera showing at the Homer Theatre. It shows at 6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 17. An opera in three acts, it’s based on a play by American author David Belasco. “Fanciulla” followed “Madama Butterfly,” which was also based on a Belasco play. Considered by many a Puccini magnum opus (masterpiece), the opera had a successful and highly publicized premier at the New York Metropolitan Opera, in 1910.
The drama is set during the California Gold Rush, and the girl of the title is one of Puccini’s most appealing heroines—a strong, independent woman determined to win the man she loves. Although it fell out of favor with audiences for a few decades following its original success, Fanciulla has rebounded in popularity in recent years and is now counted among Puccini’s best works.
Tickets are $20 General, $5 students, with a season pass for $90.
Metal Rock night is Jan. 19 at Alice’s
Alice’s Champagne Palace features two bands starting at 9 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 19, with no cover charge. The first Metal band to take the stage at Salmonfest, Distance Defined was a huge hit and returns for Alice’s Salmonfest Music Series. DD began in summer of 2016 as a project between band members from Wasilla to Homer. After writing an album’s worth of material, they decided to start recording and within a year self produced a full-length album. They have opened up for national metal acts August Burns Red and After The Burial. DD is slowly making a name for themselves in Alaska as a energetic and solid band with an aggressive hard hitting sound, blending with strong melodies and memorable choruses you can sing along to.
Also playing Jan. 19 is Homer’s own Raised By Humans. RBH is a blend of hard rock, reggae and 1990s alternative. Formed in 2013, RBH channels into their songwriting the energy given to them by living in one of Alaska’s best communities. Catchy melodies, heavy riffs and grooving drums all coalesce for a unique version of rock music.
