Description

People are comfortable in the belief that their sensory systems tell them what is out there in the world. An apple looks like an apple and tastes like an apple, and so we know that it’s an apple. In reality, however, this belief (while comforting) is misguided: The information that we get from our eyes and tongue is in fact highly ambiguous; far from reporting “what’s out there,” the job of our sensory brain is to GUESS what’s out there, a job that it performs by putting together as many different sources of ambiguous information as it can.  Professor Don Katz will show this process in action, demonstrating how easy it is to change what something tastes like and even looks like. These demonstrations are not merely parlor tricks — they reveal that illusions, which we like to think represent our sensory systems malfunctioning, are in fact the very basis of perception!

Admission is free.  Light refreshments will be served.  

Eligibility

Open to all TCAN clubs

Description

Join us for a performance of this classic opera! Generously discounted tickets available through May 3. Preceded by dinner at Sakura.

Verdi’s sumptuous melodies and timeless depiction of tragic love have made La Traviata an undeniable favorite for generations. Violetta, a glamorous courtesan, gives up everything for her devoted lover Alfredo—only to have their idyllic affair shattered by the stern demands of Alfredo’s father. From the frenzy of Violetta’s pleasure-filled life to her heart-wrenching decision to leave her beloved, Verdi’s treasured opera is a captivating tribute to what it means to live and die for love.

Sung in Italian with English translations projected above the stage. This event is co-sponsored by the Yale and Harvard clubs.

Purchase your own tickets to the opera. The Minnesota Opera has reserved seats for us at the May 18, 7:30 PM performance at generous discounts:

• $60 in Section B (normally $130)
• $50 in Section C (normally $100)
• $40 in Section D (normally $75)

Refer to the seating chart for details.

Call the Minnesota Opera ticket office at 612-333-6669 by May 3 and mention the Yale-Harvard event. The office is open Mon-Fri 10AM-5PM.

Join us for dinner beforehand at Sakura Restaurant, 350 St. Peter Street (at 4th Street) St. Paul, at 5:15 PM. We will order off of the menu, separate checks. There will be a short presentation from a member of the Opera. Then we'll walk over to the Ordway for this wonderful performance of one of opera's great classics.

RSVP for the dinner by May 16 via email to james_p_richardson@msn.com. Include the attendee's names.
Alternatively, you may wish to attend Opera Insights at 6:30 PM in Ordway Music Theater’s Marzitelli Foyer. Enjoy a free, fun and informative half-hour session which includes an overview of the characters and music, historical and cultural context for the opera and highlights to watch for during the show.