(Photo: Catherine Ashmore) Such has been the success of Margret Atwood’s novel “The Handmaid’s Tale” that, since its publication in 1985, it now finds itself positioned alongside other major 20th century dystopian novels, drawing comparisons with Orwell’s “1984” and Huxley’s “Brave New World.” Like them, it has entered the cultural mainstream, spawning plays, films, a ballet, a major television series, {…}
Photo: © CLIVE BARDA/ArenaPAL Opening night was delayed due to a storm – very on brand for Leoš Janáček, though perhaps more apt for “Kat’a Kabanova” – so nature very much had the upper hand when this new production of “The Cunning Little Vixen” opened at the London Coliseum on Sunday. Director Jamie Manton has previously made an impact with {…}
The Welsh National Opera has announced its 2022-23 season which will be divided into fall and spring seasons. Autumn 2022 The season opens with a new production of Janáček’s “The Makropulos Affair” starring Emma Bell as Emilia Marty. The opera will also star Nicky Spence, Gustáv Beláček, Mark Le Brocq, Harriet Eyley, David Stout, Alexander Sprague, and Alan Oke. Tomas {…}
The Metropolitan Opera has announced the next month of nightly streams which focus on a number of unique themes including operas in English, holiday works, and even an entire work dedicated to one of the most iconic artists of all time. Week 39– In Plain English Monday, December 7 – Thomas Adès’s The Tempest Starring Audrey Luna, Isabel Leonard, Iestyn Davies, Alek Shrader, {…}
(Credit: Met Opera / Ken Howard / Marty Sohl) The Met Opera has unveiled its 25 and 26th weeks of streaming, continuing its theme-based streaming options. For week 25, the company will focus on 20th-century classics, while the ensuing week of streams will place an emphasis on French operas. Monday, August 31 – R. Strauss’s Elektra Starring Nina Stemme, Adrianne Pieczonka, Waltraud {…}
This week, David Lang’s music will be front and center with a world premiere recording and a new version of one of his most popular works. Here is a look at what you can stream this week. David Lang’s love fail The Boston-based Lorelei Ensemble David Lang’s “Love fail” will be released on Cantaloupe Music. The piece is a meditation on {…}
Even as we get deeper into the summer and watch theaters reopen, it is important to keep our focus on the important dialogues of racial equality taking place. We continue to recommend checking out the several online shows such as Karen Slack’s “KikiKonversations,” Kenneth Overton’s “Black Opera Live,” and “The Sitdown with LB,” hosted by Lawrence Brownlee. You can also add {…}
(Credit: Dario Acosta / Vienna State Opera) Let’s kick this off with arguably the most essential streaming from around the opera world that you can engage with this week. Several of opera’s prominent black artists have been very outspoken in recent weeks about the issue of racial injustice that has taken hold of the international conversation, and many others have {…}
The Metropolitan Opera has announced Week 9 of its night streams. This coming week features some of opera’s greatest stars including Jonas Kaufmann, Plácido Domingo, Joan Sutherland, and Jessye Norman. Monday, May 11 – Massenet’s Werther Starring Lisette Oropesa, Sophie Koch, Jonas Kaufmann, and David Bižić, conducted by Alain Altinoglu. From March 15, 2014. Tuesday, May 12 – Thomas Adès’s The Tempest {…}
The Philharmonia Orchestra has announced its 2020-21 season featuring internationally acclaimed guest soloists and recognized conductors. For the purposes of this article, we will only focus on vocal performances. Esa-Pekka Salonen conducts Yuja Wang and the Philharmonia Voices in Beethoven’s “The Creatures of Prometheus” and Scriabin’s Prometheus: The Poem of Fire. Perfomance Date: Sept. 24, 2020 The Philharmonia Orchestra presents Walton’s {…}
(Credit: Festival D’aix-En-Provence) On July 11, 2019, Arte is set to stream to Kurt Weill’s “Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny” from the Festival D’Aix-En-Provence. The new production by Ivo van Hove, which is set to make its way to the Metropolitan Opera, stars Karita Mattila, Alan Oke, Sir Willard White, Annette Dasch, Nikolai Schukoff, Sean Panikkar, Thomas Oliemans, and Peixin Chen. Esa-Pekka Salonen conducts the {…}