This Saturday, audiences around the world will get a chance to see a rare performance of Verdi’s “Luisa Miller” with an all-star cast. The showcase kicks off at 12:25 p.m. EDT and will star Sonya Yoncheva in the title role, Plácido Domingo as her father Miller, Piotr Beczala as Rodolfo, Olesya Petrova as Federica, Alexander Vinogradov as Walter, and Dmitry Belosselskiy {…}
“Luisa Miller” is long considered to mark the beginning of Verdi’s “middle period” with themes of class division and an ill-fated romance that foreshadow the composer’s brilliant “La Traviata.” It also came at a time when Verdi was more open to sourcing from outside of his homeland, with the German playwright Friedrich von Schiller’s Kabale und Liebe the material for {…}
When Verdi’s “Luisa Miller” hits the stage on Thursday, March 29, it will be the first time the opera is staged with the company in exactly 12 years. The cast will include Plácido Domingo and Piotr Beczala among the male leads, but will also showcase the third major work headlined by Bulgarian soprano Sonya Yoncheva at the Met in 2017-18. {…}
Florence Quivar, born on March 3, 1944, is one of the great American mezzos of her time. She first came to love opera upon hearing the Met Opera on tour and then eventually launched on a mission to become a great opera singer in her own right. Her journey took her through the Julliard School, Philadelphia Academy of Music, and {…}
The Metropolitan Opera Guild has announced new programs for the 2018 season. Among the new programs added to the Schedule are “In the Mouth of the Wolf,” “Maria Callas at Ninety-Five – A Birthday Salute,” and “Celebrating Historic Met Moments.” “We are pleased to announce some new and additional programming for Spring 2018,” said Stuart Holt, Director of School Programs and {…}
Premiering on December 8th, 1849, “Luisa Miller” is the 15th opera composed by Giuseppe Verdi. Originally, Verdi was interested in adapting the novel “The Siege of Florence” by Francesco Domenico Guerazzi, but the censors in Naples had rejected this idea. Verdi would then try for an adaptation of “Kabale und Liebe” by the German playwright Friedrich von Schiller, a title {…}
Friedrich Schiller is one of the great writers in history, his work focusing on major philosophy and a number of major dramas. Of course, his legacy is preserved in Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, the text to the final music set to Schiller’s poetry. Born on Nov. 10, 1759, his philosophical essays centered on ethics and aesthetics, two such works centering on {…}
BR Klassik will present Verdi’s “Luisa Miller” starring Marina Rebeka. The concert performance on Sept. 24 will be live streamed and will feature Rebeka in her role debut. The cast will include mezzo soprano Judit Kutasi, tenor Ivan Magrì, baritone George Petean, bass Ante Jerkunica and bass-baritone Marko Mimica. Ivan Repušić will conduct the Münchner Rundfunkorchester. Rebeka is currently the artist in residence with the Münchner Rundfunkorchester and {…}
Maria Agresta has quickly risen to fame in the opera world. She has made debuts in all the great theaters including the Metropolitan Opera, Teatro alla Scala, and Royal Opera House. She has also become the go-to soprano for the Verdi repertoire singing roles in “I Due Foscari,” “Il Trovatore,” “I Masnadieri,” “La Traviata” and “Simon Boccanegra.” This month she {…}
“It’s like having a crime and then trying to justify it and find why it was committed.” That is how soprano Marina Rebeka, currently making her role debut as Donna Elvira at the Metropolitan Opera, approaches every single opera role or artistic endeavor she takes on. The soprano recently spoke with OperaWire regarding her upcoming projects, putting a spotlight on {…}
Often when we react to a flood of news, like a new opera season, it is easy to dwell on some of the negatives, such as which of your favorites are now showing up or which operas got the boot for yet another season. But the beauty of a new season is ultimately the gems that we will get to {…}