Word Search: Find the LGBTQIA+ Opera Based on the Composer’s Name

(Credit: Sarah Schatz) For this week’s word search, we turn to famed LGBTQIA+ operas. Instructions: You are free to solve the word search directly on your mobile or desktop {…}

Lithuanian National Opera’s New Normal Looks Somewhat Familiar

It was a hot summer afternoon and the journalists gathered in the shadow of Lithuanian National Opera’s massive building. Here, LNOBT art-director Sesto Quatrini, general manager Jonas Sakalauskas, principal conductor Ričardas Šumila, and choreographer Martynas Rimeikis are preparing to reveal a new season’s program. Everything gets off to a great start. Nothing reminds us of the global crisis still raging {…}

Word Search: Complete the Name of these LGBTQIA+ Artists, Past & Present

In honor of Pride Month, this week’s word search is dedicated to major opera artists from the LGBTQIA+ community both past and present. Instructions: You are free to solve {…}

Opera Quiz: How Well do You Know the Career of the Chevalier de Saint-Georges?

Few men were as renown in the 1700s as Joseph Boulogne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges. He was a polyglot, military leader, and successful musician throughout his career. For this {…}

Opera Meets Film: The Fascinating & Enigmatic Appearance of ‘Dido’s Lament’ in Shinoda’s Masterpiece ‘Pale Flower’

“Opera Meets Film” is a feature dedicated to exploring the way that opera has been employed in cinema. We will select a section or a film in its entirety, highlighting the impact that utilizing the operatic form or sections from an opera can alter our perception of a film that we are viewing. This week’s installment features Masahiro Shinoda’s “Pale {…}

10 Essential & Historic Opera Recordings of Music by Black Composers (Updated with Addendum)

June 8th marks the start of African-American Music Appreciation Month. While the talent and musical accomplishments of the black community cannot possibly be summarized in one article, we have compiled a list of notable recordings of not only great singers, but also composers whose works have been overlooked for decades, even centuries.  In recent years more attention has finally been {…}