Past Vistas Courses and Events
2023-2024 Courses
The Immigration Conundrum
Presented by Josie Gonzalez
Celebrating 100 Years of the Granada Theatre
Presented by Susan Miles Gulbransen and Joan Rutkowski
13,000 Years of Local Maritime History and Santa Barbara Channel Whale Heritage Area
Presented by Greg Gorga and Holly Lohuis
From Frasier to Star Trek…and Beyond! The Magic Behind Television Music
Presented by David Grossman
Art-Body-Context
Presented by Belle Michael
The Golden Age of the Broadway Musical
Presented by Bob Weinman
Sinkable: Adventures with Shipwrecks
Presented by Daniel Stone
Will China (Still) Eat Our Lunch?: How Best to Deal With a Rising Superpower
Presented by Rich Appelbaum and Denis Simon
String Quartets in the Vienna of Beethoven and Schubert
Presented by Derek Katz
The American Folk Music Revival of the 20th Century
Presented by Norm Cohen
Heroes & Rogues, Series 5: The Explorer, the Dancer, and the G-Man
Presented by: Laurie Guitteau, Ted Anagnoson, Jane and David DeSelm, and Sue Mellor
Conserving the Gaviota Coast, In Pictures and Stories
Presented by Phil McKenna
The Lafayette Escadrille and The Millionaires’ Unit
Presented by Darroch Greer
The Climate Crisis: Where We Are, What to Expect, What We Can Do
Presented by Karl Hutterer, Charles Feinstein, Stan Roden
Whose Land is it, Anyway?
Presented by David Bisno
The Five Good Emperors
Presented by Daniel DeSelm
The Hapsburgs
Presented by Jim Hemmer
Legendary Lovers in Opera
Presented by Simon Williams
Not Just a Pretty Place: The Science Behind the SB Botanic Garden
Presented by Steve Windhager
The SB Civil Grand Jury: The Public’s Watchdog
Presented by Stan Roden
Women Architects of Santa Barbara
Presented by Rose Thomas
Human Trafficking: What Is It, Where Does it Happen, and How do we Stop it?
Presented by Florrie R. Burke
”The Opulent Summer” Mural
Presented by Charlene G. Garfinkle
Pomp, Power, and Propaganda: Chuch Music in the 16th Century
Presented by Henry Michaels
The Making of Sitting Bull: A Ston in My Heart
Presented by John Ferry and Grace De Soto
From Qadhafi’s Rise to Saddam’s Fall: My 35 Years in the CIA
Presented by Heidi August
Where in the World is the U.S.? A Top-Ten Summary
Presented by Douglas Stowell
From the Epic of Gilgamesh to the King James Version: The History and Development of the Bible
Presented by Norm Cohen
Pirates!
Presented by Peter Beuret
The Nature of Time
Presented by Jim Hemmer
Money in America’s Political System
Presented by Ted Anagnoson
Rethinking Obesity
Presented by Fima Lifshitz, M.D.
Women Behind Walls
Presented by Bee Bloeser
Legendary Foods of Italy and France
Presented by Larry Canepa
The Impact of the Railroads on American Music: Folk, Country, Blues, Religious, and Classical
Presented by Norm Cohen
Flight: The Ups and Downs of Aviation
Presented by Bruce Phillips
2022-2023 Courses
Water in Santa Barbara County: Challenges and Opportunities
Presented by Matt Young and Charles Hamilton
The U.S. and China: The Two A.I. Superpowers
Presented by Jim Hemmer
Joseph Haydn: From Court to City
Presented by Derek Katz
Humans that Drove the Computer Revolution
Presented by Jim Ingraham
The Allure of Fascism Here and Abroad
Presented by David Bisno
Shakespearean History Plays
Presented by Mark Rose
Sending Smallpox into History: Life Behind the Scenes of the Historic Campaign
Presented by Bee Bloeser
Annual Short Story Discussion Group
Presented by Denny Klos
Rodgers and Hammerstein
Presented by Bob Weinman
Criminal Law and Procedure
Presented by Patrick McKinley
Sleep, Consciousness, and Non-Ordinary States: From Culture to Neuroscience
Presented by Dan Lewin
The Creative Artist in Opera
Presented by Simon Williams
The Four Great Ages of Western Civilization
Presented by Jim Hemmer
Future Perfect
Presented by Douglas W. Stowell
A Journey to Jordan
Presented by David DeSelm
Fellini Films
Presented by Mort Weisman
Post-Election Analysis
Presented by Ted Anagnoson
Beyond Impressionism
Presented by Lori Windsor Mohr
Our Moon— What Would We Do Without It?
Presented by Peter Beuret
Food in History
Presented by Chef Larry Canepa
Casa del Herrero, the House of the Blacksmith
Presented by David DeSelm and Pat Sheppard
Poliomyelitis Vaccinations: The Real Story
Presented by Bruce Phillips
Exodus for Atheists: The Bible and History
Presented by Norm Cohen
Propositions on the California Ballot
Presented by Ted Anagnoson
Puccini’s Tosca
Presented by Bob Weinman
2021-2022 Courses
The Frayed American Social Safety Net
Presented by Ted Anagnoson
Civil Unrest in the 1960s
Presented by Robert Benham
Carmen and the Consequences
Presented by Simon Williams
Santa Barbara and Our Courthouse: A Distinctive City and a One-of-a-Kinda Building
Presented by David DeSelm
God Save this Honorable Court
Presented by David Bisno
Why Do We Have Financial Crises?
Presented by Peter Naylor
Vincent Van Gogh: Beyond the Myth
Presented by Lori Windsor Mohr
Shakespearean Comedy
Presented by Mark Rose
Annual Short Story Discussion Group
Presented by Denny Klos
Constantine the Great and the Rise of the Christian Church
Presented by Daniel DeSelm
Demonic Violinists and Duels
Presented by Derek Katz
Lise Meitner’s Discovery of Nuclear Fission
Presented by David Bisno
Heroes and Rogues: Fourth Series
Presented by Gerry Corrigan
Cole Porter— A Great American Songwriter
Presented by Bob Weinman
Origins and Adventures in American Agriculture
Presented by Daniel Stone
The Mother-Daughter Relationship
Presented by Denny Klos
American Criminal Law and Procedure
Presented by Patrick McKinley
The Story Behind Bellosguardo
Presented by John Ummel
Origins of Proto-Indo-European Language
Presented by Jim Hemmer
Important Economic Issues
Presented by Peter Naylor
Great American Waterways
Presented by Jim Hemmer
Humanity’s Relationship with Food, Past, Present and Future
Presented by Larry Canepa
Short History of Cryptography
Presented by Richard Norwood
James Baldwin: In His Own Words
Presented by Denny Klos
COVID Fall 2021 Update
Presented by Dr. Phillips
The Coronavirus Crisis
Presented by Dr. Bruce Phillips
2019 - 2020
Spirituals, Dance Bands, and Hot Solos: African-American Musicians in the Early 20th Century
Presented by Derek Katz
The U.S. and China: The Two A.I. Superpowers
Presented by Jim Hemmer
A Trip to Opera Santa Barbara: Il Postino
Annual Short Story Discussion Group
Coordinated by Denny Klos
My Free Speech in My Front Yard but Your Church in My Back Yard?
Presented by David Bisno
Donizetti’s Three Queens
Presented by Simon Williams
“Things About Santa Barbara’s Past I Never Knew!”
Presented by John Ummel
The Scientific Revolution
Presented by Dick Norwood
All Politics Are Local: The Good, the Bad, the Ugly of Local Government Decision-Making in California
Presented by Jason Dominguez
Lesser Known Heroes and Rogues (Second Series)
Coordinated by Gerry Corrigan
The Golden Age of the Hollywood Musical
Presented by Bob Weinman
The Evolution of Japanese Gardens in Japan and America
Presented by Kendall Brown
EVERYBODY COMES TO RICK’S: WWII Émigrés and American Cinema
Presente by Mort Weisman
A Trip to Opera Santa Barbara: Madama Butterfly
Intimacy Across the Lifespan
Presented by Denny Klos
The Imperial Presidency
Presented by Ted Anagnoson
The Labors of Operatic Love
Presented by Bob Weinman
Our Santa Barbara Courthouse: A One-of-a-Kind Building
Presented by David DeSelm
A Trip to Ensemble Theater Co.: Measure for Measure
Our Treasures Offshore: The Santa Barbara Channel Islands
Coordinated by Sue Mellor
Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure
Presented by Jinny Webber
A Roadmap for Successful Choices at the End of Life
Coordinated by Diane Wolf
February 21, 2019
Marathon The Patriots Day Bombing
March 21, 2019
Citizen Four
April 18, 2019
Waste Land
May 16, 2019
Abacus: Small Enough to Jail
June 20, 2019
The Address
September 20, 2018
The Salt of the Earth
October 18, 2018
Harold and Lillian: A Hollywood Love Story
November 15, 2018
Dinosaur 13
December 20, 2018
California Typewriter
January 17, 2019
Merchants of Doubt
13,000 YEARS OF LOCAL MARITIME HISTORY
Presented by Greg Gorga
THE SCIENCE AND ART OF "SLEEP-CLOCK" AND SLEEPING
Presented by Dr. Daniel Lewin
MEMORY LANE: A GUIDED WRITING EXPEDITION
Presented by Allison Grosfield
BUILDING A BOTANICAL NIRVANA: THE STORY OF LOTUSLAND
Presented by Rose Thomas, Paul Mills, and Corey Welles
BEAUTY, SEX, AND EVOLUTION: DARWIN'S THEORY OF SEXUAL SELECTION
Presented by Karl Hutterer
EUROPEAN MUSICIANS AND AMERICAN MONEY: ÉMIGRÉ MUSICIANS IN INTERWAR AMERICA
Presented by Derek Katz
KIPLING: POET OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE
Presented by John Ledlie
TEN KEY TURNING POINTS IN THE HISTORY OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION
Presented by Jim Hemmer
IS THIS HOW FASCISM COMES TO AMERICA?
Presented by David Bisno
ANNUAL SHORT STORY DISCUSSION GROUP
Coordinated by Gene Waller
GOD SAVE THIS HONORABLE COURT AND COUNTRY AN UPDATE
Presented by David Bisno
A TRIP TO ENSEMBLE THEATER: DEATH OF A SALESMAN
Coordinated by Barbara Margerum
RICHARD WAGNER: THE MAN AND THE MUSIC
Presented by Simon Williams
LET'S TALK ART
Presented by Shirley Waxman & Mary Eckhart
LESSER-KNOWN HEROES, ROGUES
Presented/Coordinated by Gerry Corrigan
SANTA BARBARA HISTORY ALONG THE WATERFRONT
Presented by John Ummel
WHAT THE MOVIES DIDN'T TELL US ABOUT WWII !
Coordinated by Barbara Krahn
FROM LIFE TO LITERATURE TO OPERA: THE OPERA SANTA BARBARA 2018-19 SEASON
Presented by Bob Weinman
THE CREATIVE HEART IN ACTION
Presented by Paul Kaufman
INTRODUCING AFRICAN ART: FIVE ICONIC THEMES
Presented by Herbert M. (Skip) Cole
HAMILTON: THE MAN, THE MYTH, THE MUSICAL
Presented by George Frakes
THE INITIATIVE/REFERENDUM PROCESS, PROPOSITIONS ON THE NOVEMBER BALLOT,
AND THE UNIQUENESS OF CALIFORNIA GOVERNMENT AND POLICY
Presented by Ted Anagnoson
WRITTEN, PRODUCED AND DIRECTED BY POWELL AND PRESSBURGER
Presented by Judy & Mort Weisman
HEY SANTA BARBARA! GOT DRINKING WATER?!
Presented by Charles Hamilton
2017 - 2018
The Hollywood Musical Returns!
Presented by Bob Weinman
Tunisia - From Hannibal to the Arab Spring
Presented by David & Jane DeSelm
Women and The Civil War - and After
Presented by Sarah Case
Ludwig van Beethoven: Patrons, Players and Posterity
Presented by Derek Katz
Raymond Spruance, the Quiet Warrior
Presented by Mort Weisman
Why is the sky blue?: The joy of finding things out
Presented by Phil Sokolove
The Science and Art of 'Sleep-Clock,' and Sleeping
Presented by Dr. Daniel Lewin
Annual Short Stories
Coordinated by Gene Waller
The Narrative: We Tell Stories to Live
Presented by Sandy Jones
An Afternoon at The opera: Barber of Seville
Coordinated by Doris Frey
About the Barber of Seville
Presented by Bob Weinman
Liberty in the land of Trump
Presented by David Bisno
Poetry as The Language of The Heart
Presented by Perie Longo
Writing Historical Fiction: Art, Craft, or Obsession?
Presented by N. Frankel and S. Edwards
Healthcare Beyond Bacteria: Other Factors in Illness and Health
Presented by Dennis Murphy
Winter Social
Why Women do the housework: The Industrial Revolution
Presented by Dick Norwood
Civil Unrest in the 1960's
Presented by Robert Benham
Hamilton: The Man, the Myth, the Musical - Study Group
Coordinated by George Frakes
Climate Change Denial: The Good, the Bad, the Ugly
Presented by Karl Hutterer & Ted Anagnoson
The Role of Wine in Cultures Past and Present
Presented by Rani Mclean
Socialism in the US After Trump?
Presented by Al Lindemann
American Freedom Train
Presented by Barry Howard
The Story of Manon
Presented by Bob Weinman
Mental Illness: Why Should I Care?
Presented by George Kaufmann
Public Policy Problems Arising from the Changing Arctic
Presented by Ted Anagnoson
Three Artistic Eras: From Ancient Greece to Europe's Artistic Revolution
Presented by: Mary Winder, Shirley Waxman & Kathryn Padgett
The British Nabobs and Memsahibs: The British in india
Presented by: John Ledlie & Sharon Alvarado
Annual Fall Picnic
2016 - 2017 Season
Documentary Film Club
The Art of Bel Canto and Donizetti's: Elixir of Love
Presented by Bob Weinman
Nuclear Weaponry and the Human Future
Presented by David Krieger
Nation Building in Post-Colonial Africa: Three Case Studies
Coordinated by Gerry Corrigan
Presenters Workshop
Presented by Ted Anagnoson
Mental Illness Touches Everyone
Presented by Darcy Keep
Every Day Life in a small village in rural New England in the 1830's - Sturbridge Village Depicted
Presented by Peter Searl
David Wiesner and the Art of Wordless Storytelling
Presented by Wendi Hunter
Orchestras and Orchestral Music from the Courts to the Concert Stage
Presented by Derek Katz
The Johann Strauss Family - Their History and Music
Presented by Dr. David Bisno
Lewis Carroll
Presented by Peter Beuret
Short Stories
Coordinated by Gene Waller
Nikola Tesla
Presented by Mort Weisman
What are Your Grandchildren Learning and does it Differ From What You Learned?
Presented by Ann Lewin-Benham
The Hollywood Musicals
Presented by Bob Weinman
The Best Bible Translation For Me
Presented by Tremper Longman
History of Western Medicine - Monthly Study Group
Led by Dr. Bryan Johnson
Survival in South Africa under Apartheid Neville D. Frankel
Presented by Neville Frankel
Winter Social
The Science of Climate Change
Presented by Dr. Karl Hutterer
How to Hide Your Affair: A Short History of Cryptography
Presented by Dick Norwood
A History of Laughing and Crying
Presented by Thomas Scheff
Eleanor Roosevelt and Her Contemporaries
Presented by Sarah Case
Post Election Analysis: The Meaning and Implications fo the November 2016 Elections
Presented by Ted Anagnoson
LGBT
Presented by Marian Shapiro
CARMEN
Opera Santa Barbara
Brazil's Economic and Political Crisis
Presented by Sam Flowers
Poetry and Metaphor
Presented by Peter Karoff
Trials of The Century
Presented by Al Lindemann
The Initiative/Referendum Process and the Propositions on the Ballot November 2016
Presented by Ted Anagnoson
Witchcraft and Evil in Shakespeare’s Macbeth
Presented by Jinny Webber
A Cinematographic View of American Elections
Presented by: Mort & Judy Weisman
2015 - 2016 Season
Documentary Film Club
Write About Your Life
Presented by Allison Grosfield
Africa
Coordinated by Gerry Corrigan
Opera
Presented by Derek Katz
Kindertransport
Presented by Mike Wolff
Europe in Crisis: Refugees, the Euro and the Floundering European Union
Presented by Paul Warwick
Catherine The Great
Organized by Barbara Margerum
Strategic Architectures of Victory & Defeat - Part 2
Presented by John Caldwell
Short Stories
Coordinated by Gene Waller
Race to the poles
Presented by David Bisno
Serving on the Grand Jury
Presented by: Maria Millsaps, Foreperson, Mary Flink, and Andy Brown
Visual Art & Poetry
Presented by Perie Longo & Barbara Cadario
An Afternoon at the opera
Organized by Doris Frey
Systems (Insurers & Governments) and Individuals (patients and physicians)
Presented by Dennis Murphy
Campaign Finance and Political Polarization - Sources, Evidence, and Implications
Presented by Ted Anagnoson
Women's Politics in the Early Twentieth Centry U.S.
Presented by Sarah Case
Silent Suffering in the Old Testament
Presented by Tremper Longman
Strategic Architectures of Victory & Defeat - WWII, Korea, Vietnam & Iraq Part 1
Presented by John Caldwell
How to Present at VISTAS and How to Develop a VISTAS Course
Presented by Ted Anagnoson and panel of experts
The First Transcontinental Railroad - Connecting the East to the West in the 1860's
Organized by Barbara Krahn
Damming the Colorado
Presented by Dick Norwood
Electing Presidents: Great Elections in American History
Presented by Jay Carlander
The Wright Brothers
Presented by Peter Kruse & Mort Weiseman
CRISES IN HIGHER EDUCATION
Presented by Don O'Dowd
Stalin and Hitler and Power and Evil in Modern History
Presented by Al Lindemann
Tour Santa Barbara Hermitage
Forgiveness
Presented by Barbara Katz
The Aztecs
Presented by Russell Werner
Legal Issues for Seniors
Presented by Peter Kruse
Our Moon
Presented by Peter Beuret
2014 - 2015 Season
British Africa
Organized by Gerry Corrigan
Write About Your life
Presented by Allison Grosfield
Hospice
Coordinated by Diane Wolf
Hidden in Plain Sight: Banned Composers in Nazi Germany
Presented by Derek Katz
Vichy France 1940 - 1945
Presented by Nick DiNapoli
The Western Mirror: California and the American Civil War
Presented by Jay Carlander
Theodore Rosevelt
Presented by Peter Kruse
The Second Gutenberg Revolution: The Internet and the Digital Future
Presented by Micheal Gilbert
The Economics of Climate Change
Presented by David King
Pharmacology
Presented by Barbara Cadario and Rania Shenoda
Short Story - Small Seminar
Organized by Gene Waller
Roadmap for Successful Choices at The End of Life
Coordinated by Diane Wolf and Jan O'Dowd
The World of Yesterday
Presented by Dr. David Bisno
The Power of Cornography: How Corn Built America
Presented by Betty Fussell
Small Group Seminars
Reflections on Womens Liberation
Trails That Opened the West
Coordinated by Barbara Krahn
Uncertain Justice
Presented by Dr. David Bisno
Preparing The Presenter 2015: An Introduction to Course Design and Session Presentation Issues
Presented by Ted Anagnoson and a panel of past presenters and organizers
Abraham
Presented by Tremper Longman
Pacific Coastal Fish
Presented by Dr. Milton Love
Argentina & Peron
Presented by Fred Sidon
History of Hawaii
Presented by Peter Searl
The Life of Amelia Earhart, and the Search After Her Disappearance
Presented by Nick DiNapoli
Women In Art
Presented by Wayne Hoffman
Military Sexual Assault
Presented by Sara Zak
Initiatives on the November 2014 Ballot
Presented by Ted Anagnoson
Maya Classic Period
Presented by Russell Werner
The Paradigm Shift in Understanding Shakespeare
Presented by: Helen Heightsman Gordon
2013 - 2014 Season
The Wit & Wisdom of Woody Allen
presented by Bob Weinman
Arroyo Hondo Nature Preserve
Organized by Sue Mellor & Don Gillies
Write About Your Life
Presented by Allison Grosfield
The Biblical Book of Psalms
Presented by Tremper Longman
A Look Back at the Vietnam War
Organized by: George Ittner
Shostakovich: Music & Politics in the Soviet Union
Presented by: Derek Katz
Ottoman Empire
Presented by: Steve Humphreys
Our MOON! - What would we do without it?
Presented by: Peter Beuret
Great Explorers
Organized by Gerry Corrigan
Short Stories
Organized by Gene Waller
God, Guns, Gays, Sex, Privacy & Edward Snowden
Presented by David Bisno, M.D.
Darwin
Presented by Dr. Floyd Sandford
Longevity - Small Discussion Group
Organized by Jan O'Dowd
Medical Ethics
Presented by Dennis Murphy, M.D.
The American South Through Classic Movies
Presented by Bob Fulmer
Preparing The Presenter
Presented by Ted Anagnoson and Panel
China's Wings - Part Three
Presented by Nick DiNapoli
Disaster Relief
Presented by Ted Anagnoson
Polish Your Apple
Shirley Diamond - Coordinator
Santa Barbara Movers and Shakers
Sue Mellor - Coordinator
The genesis of the class was the book California’s Knight on a Golden Horse; Dwight Murphy, Santa Barbara’s Renaissance Man by Ed Hartfeld. Ed generously passed out free copies of this book to all interested members at our picnic and the class. Even though his presentation on the modest and philanthropic Dwight Murphy was at the last session, it was of prime significance.
Kathi Brewster suggested several other speakers and shared the results of her historical research on a parade of women who broke paths in medicine, education, architecture, etc.
Patricia Kruse impersonated her ancestor for us, Maria Leyva de Bonilla, a midwife who lived adjacent to the Presidio in the 19th century.
Dr. Barbara Lindemann had produced a DVD about Pearl Chase and shared it in one of our classes.
Virginia Hayes, curator at Lotus Land, came to tell us about the embellishment of our community by the leading early horticulturalists.
Jeremy Hass talked about the early times in Santa Barbara and the colorful character of Joseph Chapman; he also painted a broad picture of Spanish culture in the early 1800's. Phil Wilcox went out of his usual mold to research and tell us of his personal connection with Thomas M. Stork.
Dr. Allison Wollitzer told us how William D. Sansum attracted so many people of wealth and vision with his treatment for diabetes.
Charlie Schneider was a natural to tell us about the founder of Union Carbide, George Owen Knapp, and his local contributions.
JJ Hollister topped off a great class with a first person account of his family's history as ranchers and city builders.
China's Wings
Presented by Nick DiNapoli
2012 - 2013 Season
Memories of the Italian Resistance
Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers
Lectures In Geology
Current Controversies at the supreme Court
Ancient Bible
Folk Music
Citizens of London
Lady in Gold
Health Care Ethics
Shakespeare Debate
Commanding Heights: The Battle for the world economy
The World's Great Religions
Imperial Presidency
Appoggiatura
The Mystique of Sailing round The Horn
Contemporary American poetry
Election 2012
Initiatives
North American indian Tribes
Astronomy
Fall Picnic
Bridge
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2011-2012 Season
Africa
Harvard Justice
Italy
Political Parties
Violin Making
Why Democracy
Health Ethics
Beautiful Music
Wisdom
Figaro
Pirates! From Treasure island to Somalia