Published in the February 16, 2017 edition.
By GAIL LOWE
WAKEFIELD — Pavarotti, Carreras, Domingo… it doesn’t matter to Howard Hart of Wakefield which opera star is singing. He loves them all.
HOWARD HART, founder of Opera Club of Wakefield, is shown with his CD collection and photos of Roberto Alagna as Radames in “Aida” and Maria Callas in concert. The bronze statue at right is Siegmund from Wagner’s “Ring.” (Courtesy Photo)
And the list doesn’t stop there. He’s fond, also, of Caruso, Pinza and Geraldine Farrar, an opera star from Melrose popular in the 20th century, and many others.
For as long as he can remember, opera has been among Hart’s foremost interests.
So fond is he of this musical genre that one year ago, on Jan. 1, 2016, he founded Opera Club of Wakefield. The club’s first meeting was held in the Beebe Library’s lecture room on the lower level on Saturday, Jan. 16.
This year, club members have been on hiatus during January and February but will meet again, beginning Saturday, March 18 at 2 p.m. Anyone who loves opera or who wants to learn about it is welcome to attend. The meetings, held monthly, generally last between 90 minutes and two hours. There are no costs involved.
“The response has been wonderful,” said Hart. “Club members are highly enthusiastic, and it’s a joy to share the journey of exploring opera with them.”
The club continues to grow with a core group of regular members along with others who attend when they can.
During meetings, members view video recordings of opera or opera excerpts. Guest presenters have also played recordings.
The group includes renowned mezzo-soprano D’Anna Fortunato, who gave an interview, and her recordings were played.
“Each meeting has a theme, even if it’s simply playing favorite arias,” Hart said. The group then take turns discussing their reactions, preferences and insights. So far, members have not attended opera performances, but the suggestion has been floated.
“Several members have attended HD (High Definition) opera presentations together in local movie theaters,” he said.
Though more women than men attend meetings, the man-woman ratio has varied from one meeting to the next.
Hart, a Wakefield native whose career in the music industry took him to New York City for 36 years, said his interest in opera began in childhood. His paternal grandfather, Malden resident Howard Gillespie, was a photographer for the Freedom Trail in Boston and was also an opera enthusiast.
“He was friends with Geraldine Farrar, the famous soprano who sang with Caruso,” said Hart. “He enjoyed listening to 78s of opera recordings on a wind-up Victrola.”
Beginning at age five, Hart’s grandfather encouraged him to enjoy vintage recordings of Caruso, Farrar, Scotti, Tetrazzini and others. His maternal grandmother, North Reading resident Florence J. Lord, also loved opera and listened to the Metropolitan Opera Saturday matinee broadcasts, then hosted by Milton Cross.
“I joined her almost every Saturday morning during the broadcast season to listen with her,” Hart said.
Like his grandfather, she had a large collection of 78s, including noted opera singers Pinza, Bori and Gigli.
“From these seeds, my love of opera grew,” he said.
After graduating from Wakefield High School in 1963, Hart worked in record stores as a classical buyer in Boston, Harvard Square in Cambridge and later in New York City. Eventually, he started his own business to promote classical recording labels and the artists who recorded for them. Two major events that were instrumental to his success during this period were the transition from LP to CD, beginning in 1982, and then the transition from VHS video tape to DVD around 1997.
“I was working as an independent representative for boutique labels specializing in music that the major record labels weren’t offering,” he said.
All of this came to an abrupt halt when Napster and other streaming formats arrived on the scene around 1999. This was the beginning of the end for the megastores and chains to which so many had become accustomed, particularly in Hart’s situation, as they had been the source of large sales that made up most of his income.
In his time of working with labels and artists he had the opportunity to visit Tower Records stores in Japan, Hong Kong and London as well as grand openings of the domestic stores in New York City; Washington, D.C.; Philadelphia; Boston and Cambridge.
“This was one of the happiest times in my life,” he said.
Though opera is viewed by many to be the music of the “upper crust,” Hart believes opera is for everyone.
“Subtitles in theaters and for the HD performances have helped make opera more accessible to a larger audience,” he said. “Opera can express feelings and emotions through music and drama. That can be a powerful experience for anyone at any time.”
Hart said he thinks that all of the arts serve to help humanity aspire to greater things.
“My own experience is that listening to recordings and attending performances have broadened my interests and knowledge,” he said. “I’ve known many instances where an opera is based on historical events or the story comes from a notable literary work, and this has inspired me to investigate and educate myself about these events and these works. Listening to opera has expanded my knowledge of languages and other cultures.”
Hart’s experience of the Opera Club has been that many people are curious but are often reluctant to take the first step.
“As an art form, opera can seem daunting. It’s classical music and usually in a foreign language. Many people think it appeals to intellectuals only.
“A person can only know if they experience it first hand. One way to get people interested is to encourage them to invite their friends. Quite a few club members overcame their doubts by making it a shared experience.”
For more information, visit www.operaclubofwakefield.wordpress.com.
