What do we need to live a fulfilling life? This essential question of the humanities feels especially pressing now, on the precipice of profound changes to our planet, our bodies, and our sense of human exceptionality. Join us for a conversation — and a music-and-drama masterclass — about speculative fiction from the Star Trek world, the myth of Orpheus, and what the operatic form can teach us about intelligence, humanity, and the good life.

Those attending Questions That Matter may be interested in the “The Trial of Spock — An Opera Workshop” on March 8th. This workshop is a rare opportunity for Trekkies and opera lovers to attend a recording of five scenes of an opera-in-progress: The Trial of Spock, with members of the San Francisco and San Jose Opera companies accompanied by San Francisco’s Del Sol Quartet.

Questions That Matter is a public humanities series developed by The Humanities Institute and the community of Santa Cruz. It brings together, in conversation, two or more UC Santa Cruz scholars with community residents and students to explore questions that matter to all of us.