Joseph Lodato, Maria Natale, James Valenti Headline ‘Puccini99: A Celebration of Italian Heritage in America’

The Kaufman Music Center will present “Puccini99: A Celebration of Italian Heritage in America” on Nov. 29, 2023 at 8 p.m. The event will feature such artists as Joseph Lodato, Maria Natale and James Valenti. Following this performance, Natale is set to perform “Tosca” with Cedar Rapids Opera. She previously took on the title role of the Puccini classic at {…}

Opera Australia 2023 Review: Madama Butterfly

Credit: Keith Saunders Opera Australia’s annual Handa Opera on the Harbor, named after Opera Australia’s Patron-in-Chief, Japanese businessman Haruhisa Handa, is undoubtedly one of Sydney’s most anticipated yearly social events. At the premiere of Puccini’s “Madama Butterfly,” helmed by Spanish director Àlex Ollé on March 24th, a black-tie audience including three former Australian prime ministers indicated that the show had an {…}