President Paul Brown Invites Students To Met Opera

Photo Caption, from left:  Thuy Tran, J’lyn Martin, Jose Aguilar, Jessica J. Curbelo, Jamilah McMillan, Genesis Sanchez Gonzalez, Joseph Morrell, President Paul R. Brown, Chair of Monmouth University Board of Trustees Robert B. Sculthorpe, Monik Suit, Kelly Thomas, Mariana Bassi, Jasmine Monet Walker, Ray Bogan, Sarah R. Olsen, Alexandria Fitzgerald, Brianna Golden

Monmouth University President Paul R. Brown invited fifteen students to join him for the Met: Live in HD simulcast performance of Tosca in Pollak Theatre on November 9.

"Opera is great entertainment, but unfortunately too many students have not been exposed to it. I thought this was a great way to pay back my own experience as a student," Brown said.

Brown’s love of opera comes from studying German at Franklin & Marshall where his professor had him translate the words from German opera records. "We would translate the words to Wagner's Tannhäuser while the music played,” Brown said.

Hoping to instill a similar appreciation for opera in Monmouth University students, President Brown ran an essay contest in October inviting winning students to join him for the Tosca performance and brunch at his house before the show.

“As a rather reserved individual, I was surprised by the ability of Tosca to leave me all at once breathless, heartsick, bemused, and hopeful -- evoking a circuitous roller coaster of emotions that I've never experienced before from the performing arts. I'm grateful to have had the opportunity to share in this experience with my peers as a guest of President Brown, and now consider myself a fan of the opera,” said Sarah R. Olsen.

Monmouth University’s Met: Live HD series is made possible due to a generous donation from Robert B. Sculthorpe ‘63, chair of Monmouth University Board of Trustees. For more information, visit www.monmouth.edu/arts