Oscar-nominated actress Da’Vine Joy Randolph has revealed that her dream is to interpret the life of Leontyne Price on film. During the Oscar Luncheon on Feb. 12, 2024, the actress told Variety, “Be that I’m a classically trained opera singer, I really want to tell the story and the life of Leontyne Price. And I want to speak multiple languages {…}
The Bloomingdale School of Music has announced its 2022-23 December and February events, which kick off on Dec. 2, 2022, with a Free Faculty Concert Series. The concerts run through Dec. 16, 2022. The School will present a vocal performance honoring Leontyne Price in February. For this article, only vocal performances are listed. The entire December program and other upcoming {…}
On July 15, 2021, musician and writer Kevin Simmonds’ will release his new book, “The Monster I Am Today: Leontyne Price and a Life in Verse.” Published through TriQuarterly Books/Northwestern University Press, the book will chronicle the life and art of the acclaimed opera singer, and its personal influence on Simmonds as a gay, Black artist. Utilizing a structure of {…}
I’m going to kick off this week’s edition of the top 10 operas to stream by saying that it is probably among the most varied from a repertory standpoint. You have your Verdi, Mozart, Strauss, and Wagner, of course. But then you also have music by African American composers, a baroque opera, a modern operatic classic, and even a recital {…}
The Metropolitan Opera has announced its next two weeks of streams, which include a plethora of famed opera stars. There will also be some premiere streams of classic telecasts. The first week of March will be dedicated to celebrating Women’s History Month while the second will focus on Verismo works. Here is a breakdown. Week 51 – Celebrating Women’s History {…}
The Metropolitan Opera has announced that it will celebrate Black History Month this February by highlighting historic performances by Black artists through its nightly streaming series. Here is a rundown of the schedule for the first two weeks of the month. Week 47– Black History Month at the Met: Part I Monday, February 1 – The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess Starring {…}
The Metropolitan Opera has announced the 2020-21 season encore radio broadcast. The company will broadcast encore recordings starting Dec. 5 at 1 p.m. with Mary Jo Heath hosting and Ira Siff as a commentator for the broadcasts. The broadcasts will also include dynamic intermission features, live backstage interviews with artists, and the ever-popular Opera Quiz. The broadcasts begin with Prokofiev’s “War {…}
The Metropolitan Opera has announced the next five weeks of its streaming slate which will focus on Baroque to the present, followed by a week of productions conducted by Met Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin, a Family Drama Week, and a Stars in Signature Roles week All Nightly Met Opera Streams begin at 7:30pm and remain available via metopera.org for 23 {…}
This week features a number of solo recital albums, compilations, and one of the greatest divas of all time. Here is a look at what you can stream this week. Flare British composer Joanna Marsh reflects on her first ten years living in Dubai, releasing the first recordings of six pieces with the BBC Singers, BBC Symphony Orchestra, London Mozart Players, Onyx Brass, and the Chapel Choir {…}
The Metropolitan Opera has announced that it will be releasing “Leontyne Price at the Met.” The two-CD collection features 34 live recordings of the famed soprano. It will be available for purchase starting on Sept. 18, 2020. The CD includes tracks from Price’s April 7, 1962 performance of “Tosca” alongside tenor Franco Corelli as conducted by Kurt Adler. Leonora’s Act {…}
Back in 2018, baritone Jonathan Estabrooks received a call from Lynne Block, the daughter of pre-eminent bass-baritone Simon Estes. She wanted to see if Estabrooks would work with her on a short documentary about her father’s life. Estabrooks, an internationally renowned performer, was also actively involved in the recording industry, creating music-related documentaries, hybrid music videos, and directing a TV {…}