La Vida Breve was Manuel de Falla~s first big opera, and his first attempt to commit to an authentic Spanish sound. This opera follows the intense suffering and discrimination against the Gitanos or Roma people of Southern Spain, in particularly of a young girl who is taken advantage of by a wealthy non-gitano. La Vida Breve, literally ~The Short Life~, presents the hopelessness of the main character and her people. A work full of intense feelings, glorious singing, stirring orchestral music and dance, it is not to be missed. Come early for a free pre-opera talk at 2:00 PM in Frohnmayer Music Building, Room 163.