Giacomo Puccini Eyewitness To History La Rondine MICHIGAN April 18 - 269 2008 at the Detroit Opera House Dr. David DiChiera, General Director A treasure trove that includes some of Puccini's most rhapsodic music! Featuring the heart-melting "Doretta's Dream Song"... heard in the film, "A Room with a View" Michael Fox T he year 1968 has always held a lot of meaning for filmmaker Brett Morgen; after all, it is the year he was born. It was much later, of course, that Morgen heard about the tumult that cleaved America that year and discovered the central roles of a couple of Jewish antiwar activists. Early on, the future documentary filmmaker felt a connection with Abbie Hoffman. "Abbie put his body on the line numerous times and that was some- thing totally heroic, courageous and inspirational," Morgen says in New York. "[He] married that level of commitment with [an] ability to find humor in the darkest places — which is something I was always raised around. There was a lot of laughter around our table. I was raised to look for humor and have an irreverent approach to life!" Hoffman is the star of Morgen's Chicago 10, a film that examines the protests and police riot outside the '68 Democratic National Convention and the subsequent trial of eight defendants (including Hoffman, Jerry Rubin, Tom Hayden and Bobby Seale) on conspiracy charges. The documentary — set to a soundtrack that ranges from Black Sabbath and Steppenwolf to the Beastie Boys and Eminem — blends archival footage with animation depicting the courtroom proceedings. It opens Friday, April 18, at the Main Art Theatre in Royal Oak. Morgen grew up in Los Angeles, where his parents gave him a typi- cal, culturally Jewish upbringing. "We Performed in Italian with English Surtitle Translation Saturday, April 19, 2008 at 7:30PM Sunday, April 20, 2008 at 2:30PM Wednesday, April 23, 2008 at 7:30PM Friday, April 25, 2008 at 7:30PM Saturday, April 26, 2008 at 7:30PM FREE Opera Talk one hour prior to performance Featuring Dr. Wallace Peace Director Brett Morgan on the set of Chicago 10 Special to the Jewish News Conducted by Steven Mercurio Directed by Lotfi Mansouri The Spring 2008 Opera Season is sponsored by Cadillac celebrated all the holidays," he recalls, "but it wasn't until got to college and started taking classes in Judaic studies at Amherst that I got in touch with my roots!" Morgen's early films, the Oscar- nominated On the Ropes and The Kid Stays in the Picture (about Hollywood player Robert Evans), didn't draw on his Jewish identity or his political aware- ness, which was dramatically height- ened by the invasion of Iraq. "We conceived [this] film at a point when most of the country was compla- cent about the war," Morgen explains. "I think as Jews we are raised with a men- tality to give back to the community, to invest in our community. Abbie set up a free store in the East Village. It was very much ingrained in him. I think those threads of being aware of your commu- nity — and the country as a whole — and giving back and being able to evoke comedy and laughter in dark places is sort of essential and is missing!' Abbie Hoffman is shown in the docu- mentary standing up to Jewish judge Julius Hoffman, whom many thought extraordinarily biased while presid- ing over the conspiracy trial. And yet, when the judge handed out contempt sentences at the end, he gave Abbie only eight months. "I have to tell you," Morgen confides, "I think Judge Hoffman had this kin- ship with Abbie. I think the judge was kind of humored by him. As much as he viewed the defendants as alien beings, I think he identified with Abbie!" ❑ Chicago 10 opens Friday, April 18, at the Main Art Theatre in Royal Oak. (248) 263-2111. mosiwiiii94- 44.401 ArvinMeritor Saturday April 26 Sponsor ...I 'J.. e.g., ggi FOR TICKETS AND PRE-PAID PARKING IN THE OPERA HOUSE PARKING CENTER CALL 313-237-SING or visit www.michiganopera.org 1380690 Elv sE.4,6,e(s JET 41110.-1-# 1 11 1111'. Lt l hcatre The way it's meant to be! Undenvritten by: 40.0 The Jewish Women's Foundation 41 0/%1E-N 5 MI R AN March 18-April 13, X2008 Written by: Naomi Ragen • Directed by: Sharma Kanter An Orthodox mother of 12 flees her abusive husband and is forbidden from seeing her children. She forms a women's minyan to ultimately sit in judgment of her right to have access to her children. Women's Minyan played in Israel for five years to sold out performances of 300.000 theatre goers. ts1/4.--T YOUR TICKETS TODAY! 24/088,2900 April 10 2008 B17