University College Opera The brainchild of the conductor Anthony Addison, (UCL's then Director of Music), University College Opera gave its first performance in 1951 with an all-student production of Purcell's "Dido and Aeneas", followed by Mozart's "Bastien und Bastienne". Even in its earliest years, the company's annual repertoire concentrated on rarely performed operas including: Nicolai's "The Merry Wives of Windsor" (1952), Bizet's "Don Procopio" (1955) and Lortzing's "Der Wildschütz" (1958). In 1961, the company staged its first UK premiere, Moniuszko's "Halka". During its first 17 years, UCOpera's performances took place in the old gymnasium at University College. With the opening of the college's
Vinkensport, or The Finch Opera Vinkensport, or The Finch Opera Vinkensport, or The Finch Opera is a comic opera in one act by David T. Little to a libretto by Royce Vavrek. Commissioned for the Bard College Conservatory of Music Orchestra, the world premiere of "Vinkensport, or The Finch Opera" was presented at the Richard B. Fisher Center on February 26, 2010 performed by students in Bard's graduate vocal performance program with James Bagwell conducting. Dan Rigazzi provided stage direction. A new chamber version of the opera was commissioned by Opera Saratoga in 2017, to be premiered at their summer 2018 festival. The opera is