Q & A: Soprano Linda Ballová On Her Career Path, ‘Salome,’ & the Challenges for Slovak Singers in Europe

(Photo: Tamara Cerna SofiG) Immediately after the curtain came down on Brno National Theater’s excellent production of Richard Strauss’ “Salome,” OperaWire nipped around to the stage door for an interview appointment with Slovakian soprano Linda Ballová, who had just produced a stunning performance in the titular role. It is unlikely that many opera-goers in Western countries will have heard the {…}

Dec 9, 2023

Brno National Theater 2023-24 Review: Salome

(Photo: Marek Olbryzmek) Richard Strauss’ “Salome” is one of those operas that lives or dies through the performance of one singer. In this case, it is the soprano cast in the title role. If she cannot hold the audience’s attention, either because she is unable to bring the necessary energy and expressivity to her singing or because she does {…}

Dec 8, 2023

Meet the Person Behind the Voice: Soprano Linda Ballová

(Photo: Attila Nagy) Following Linda Ballová’s compelling performance in the title role of “Salome” at the Brno National Theatre, OperaWire thought it would be interesting to interview the Slovakian soprano. After which, we had a short chat to find out more about the person behind the voice. OperaWire: What was the first opera you saw? Linda Ballová: It was “Carmen” {…}

Oct 8, 2023

R. Strauss’ Musical Legacy Celebrated in Curtis Symphony Orchestra’s Season Opener

The Curtis Symphony Orchestra and members of the Curtis Opera Theatre will open the 2023–24 season on October 22 at 7 p.m. at Verizon Hall, Kimmel Cultural Campus, with a tribute to composer Richard Strauss entitled ‘Spectacular Strauss.’ Curtis’ young musicians will showcase their talent, led by conductors Yannick Nézet-Séguin and Micah Gleason. Nézet-Séguin holds the position of music director {…}

Feb 10, 2023

Canadian Opera Company Announces Participation in ‘Seven Veils’ by Atom Egoyan

The Canadian Opera Company has announced that filming is set to begin next week in Toronto on “Seven Veils,” a new feature film from acclaimed filmmaker Atom Egoyan and Rhombus Media. The production will star Amanda Seyfried who will play Jeanine, an earnest theatre director, who has been given the daunting task of remounting her former mentor’s most famous work, {…}

Jan 27, 2023

Houston Grand Opera Announces Cast Change for ‘Salome’

(Credit: Gillian Riesen) Houston Grand Opera has announced a cast change for its production of “Salome.” The company said that Laura Wilde will now sing the title role, replacing Amanda Majeski. Wilde is currently in a production of “Tosca” at Arizona Opera and will reprise the role at the Opera Theatre of St. Louis this summer. She recently made her Met {…}

Dec 14, 2022

Q & A: Rising Star Jiří Rajniš Speaks About Teatro alla Scala Debut & Growing up in Musical Family

Jiří Rajniš belongs to the youngest generation of operatic singers from the Czech Republic. From an early age, the baritone was exposed to music from his parents who were also opera singers. He then went on to study in the U.S. and became a member of the Junges Ensemble at the Semperoper Dresden. Over the last few years, he has {…}

Dec 11, 2022

Ambur Braid Leads Canadian Opera Company’s ‘Salome’

The Canadian Opera Company is set to present R. Strauss’ “Salome.” The opera will be performed by Canadian soprano Ambur Braid and will also include Karita Mattila, who once was a great Salome, in the role of Herodias, tenor Michael Schade as King Herod, baritone Michael Kupfer-Radecky in his COC and North American debut as Jochanaan, and, in a role {…}

Nov 7, 2022

Opéra National de Paris 2022-23 Review: Salome

(Credit: Agathe-Poupeney) This review compiles performances attended on Oct 15, 18 and Nov. 5. When conductor Simone Young entered the stage to be applauded after her performance in Paris Opéra’s new production of “Salome,” some incipient voices started to boo her. The booers quickly realized their error; they actually wanted to hoot the staging team commanded by Lydia Steier. It {…}

Sep 19, 2022

Royal Opera House 2022-23 Review: Salome

Photo credit: ROH Salome © Tristram Kenton David McVicar’s production of Richard Strauss’ “Salome”, designed by Es Devlin, was first seen in 2008, and is receiving its fourth revival at Covent Garden with Bárbara Lluch at the helm. It opened the night following the death of Queen Elizabeth II – “Don Giovanni” the night before was cancelled in the circumstances {…}

Jul 30, 2022

Festival d’Aix-en-Provence 2022 Review: Salome

Photo: Bernd Uhlig Ingo Metzmacher, the conductor for this year’s Aix-en-Provence festival’s production of Strauss’ “Salome” stressed time and again throughout his program notes the need for a cool head, for orchestral restraint and calm, for sobriety and balance. His stated aim was to ensure the orchestra does not predominate, does not get carried away, is not too loud, but {…}