Aria Code

If you have a pulse, you probably listen to music. Auditory inspiration is something human beings latch onto – especially when we’re feeling intense moments of emotion. Your chick broke up with you, cue up “Maggie May” by Rod Stewart. You just got a promotion? Pop in “I Feel Good” by James Brown. And if you’re in the middle of a suicide attempt, try “How Soon Is Now?” by The Smiths. We need music as a poignant reminder of our plight as living creatures. And while many of us relate to rock or pop, we should remember that symphonic scores and operas course through our ancestral veins. Artist Marilyn Szabo displays her late-blooming appreciation for opera with her "Maria Callas" photo series. Szabo says she had zero interest in the musical form until she saw Callas sing on television. After falling in love with the opera diva, Szabo photographed archival video footage of Callas and converted the still images to a series of oversize black-and-white prints, paying tribute to both the genre and to Callas herself. So ditch the iPod, throw on your diamonds, and stick your pinkies in the air to properly appreciate a night at the visual opera.
Fri., Nov. 2, 6-10 p.m., 2007