Photo: Fay Fox Brian Jagde spent his early voice coaching years under his teachers’ misguided notion that he was a baritone. Born in Long Island, New York, and raised just outside New York City, he eventually obtained both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in voice. Under the guidance of New York voice coach Michael Paul, he switched to tenor and went {…}
It has not been the easiest time for soprano Mary Elizabeth Williams. Her debut at Paris Opera has been, to say the least, controversial. On the one hand, she is pushing for redefinitions of what art is and how we should face the standard operatic repertoire. On the other hand, the audience’s reaction has been, in her own words, “passionate.” {…}
(Photo Credit: Rebecca Fay) Soprano Katrina Galka, who will portray the Queen of the Night in Mozart’s “The Magic Flute” with Arizona Opera this April, spoke with OperaWire to discuss her upcoming role. The theme of good and evil throughout the opera really propelled the conversation. We discussed the Queen herself and the outdated gender roles and portrayal of women {…}
On March 2, the Royal Danish Opera is set to open a new production of Verdi’s “Aida.” The production by British director Annabel Arden is set to highlight the personal story of the captured Aida, who falls in love with her enemy. Arden will bring the story to modern times and showcase two neighboring countries at war, which is very {…}
Hailing from Belgrade, Serbia, triple-threat (composer/pianist/coach) Milica Ilić (1985 -) sat down with me to discuss her newly premiered opera, XX Mono-Opera For Schizophrenic Voice and Tight Strings, a harrowing tale about alien females from the planet Mnemosyne-369 who have their lives upturned when they receive a mysterious signal from space. Set in the far distance future, the Y chromosome {…}
On March 3, Indiana University is set to present the world premiere of “Anne Frank” by an all-Jewish team comprising composer Shulamit Ran, librettist Charles Kondek, and conductor Arthur Fagen. Fagen is a professor of music and chair of the Jacobs School of Music Department of Orchestral Conducting and the son of Holocaust survivors. His mother, Rena, was a prisoner in Auschwitz {…}
Photo Credit: Tania Barricklo Multi-talented opera director, fight choreographer, composer, singer, and conductor Maria Todaro spoke with OperaWire about revising the recent productions of “The Anonymous Lover” and her ‘love affair’ with the composer Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges. In 2022 Todaro staged “The Anonymous Lover” for Minnesota Opera. Paying homage to Bologne, she set the opera in 18th century {…}
On Sunday, Feb. 19, the New York Virtuoso Singers will present “American Invention,” a concert featuring seven world and New York premieres by such composers as Anthony David, Tania León, Elena Ruehr, Peter Zummo, Edie Hill, William McClelland, and David Paterson. Leading the performance will be conductor Harold Rosenbaum. OperaWire spoke with Rosenbaum and McClelland about the program, how it {…}
To talk with the rising stars of Opera San Jose’s upcoming production of “Falstaff” was more than a treat: it was a privilege. The perspectives of soprano Chanáe Curtis and baritone Darren Drone promise rich and vibrant contributions to their future musical careers. Each of the young singers showed a genuine commitment to opera and their contributions to it. In {…}