You’re Invited: An Inside Look on Gian Carlo Menotti’s The Medium
Presented by the Opera Guild of Charlotte's Enrichment Committee
When: Sunday, November 8, 2026 from 3:00-5:00pm ET
Where: The Village on Morehead (727 E Morehead St, Charlotte, NC 28202)
About: Join the Opera Guild of Charlotte for the first Enrichment event of the season, an “Inside Look” on Gian Carlo Menotti’s opera The Medium. Opera Carolina will present Menotti’s The Medium on Saturday, November 14, 2026 at the Halton Theater on the Central Piedmont Community College campus.
The Opera Guild’s Enrichment Committee will host a panel discussion on Menotti’s The Medium, featuring internationally-renowned mezzo-soprano Victoria Livengood, who will star in Opera Carolina’s production; Maestro Stefano Vignati, the General Director, Music Director, and Principal Conductor of Opera Carolina, as well as the conductor of The Medium; and Professor Marcus Pyle from Davidson College, where he serves as Franco Professor of Humanities, Assistant Professor of Music, and Director of the Martin Program on Arts & Public Life. Andrew Gaines, Opera Guild of Charlotte Board Member and former Administrative Director of the classical voice program at The Juilliard School in New York City, will moderate the panel discussion.
Refreshments and complimentary valet parking will be provided by The Village on Morehead.
A Deep Dive into Menotti: We’ll learn more from Professor Pyle and Maestro Vignati about Gian Carlo Menotti’s musical style, life, and career - and what audiences can expect to hear in The Medium, especially if they are not as familiar with Menotti’s works! Menotti is a two-time winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Music, and his career spanned opera, Broadway, ballet, and more. Audiences may know Menotti from his Christmastime opera, Amahl and the Night Visitors, a beloved holiday classic that has become one of the most performed American operas of all time.
A “Carolina Connection”: Gian Carlo Menotti was born in Italy in 1911 and lived until 2007, but what audiences may not realize is that he also has deep ties to the Carolinas, having founded the Spoleto Festival USA in Charleston, South Carolina in 1977.
Opera’s “Dixie Diva” returns to one of her signature roles: We’ll hear from Ms. Livengood about her personal experiences working with Menotti on The Medium; how she approaches performing the title role of Madame Flora, or “Baba” as they call her - a fraudulent clairvoyant who pretends to bridge the physical world and the spiritual realm; and what she’s most looking forward to in Opera Carolina’s upcoming production.
Musical Preview: Artists from Opera Carolina will perform musical highlights from The Medium and other works by Menotti to give audiences a “teaser” of what they can expect to hear at the Halton Theater on Saturday, November 14th. Get your tickets to Opera Carolina’s production today at https://operacarolina.org
Want to learn more?: Check out the great preview article in Broadway World at https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwopera/article/Victoria-Livengood-and-More-to-Star-in-THE-MEDIUM-at-Opera-Carolina-20260928.
Cost: None, but advance registration is required