Opera Critic & Historian Fred Plotkin to Host Virtual Talk: ‘A Gay Romp Through Four Centuries of Opera’

(Photo credit: Frances Marshall) What’s opera about? Passion? Drama? Politics? Sex? All the above, of course, and it’s been that way since 1597, even in the face of censorship. Yet, the prohibitions around taboo topics such as politics and sex caused composers and librettists to get creative when including such material in their operas. Opera critic, author, and historian par {…}

At Home With – Mezzo-Soprano Taxiarchoula Kanati in Stuttgart

“At Home With… ” is a series collaboration between OperaWire and photographer Frances Marshall of Marshall Light Studio, combining original photography with insightful interviews. In this third installment, OperaWire spoke with mezzo-soprano Taxiarchoula Kanati. Greek mezzo-soprano Taxiarchoula Kanati was at the very cusp of moving into the next phase of her career when COVID-19 brought the world and the industry {…}

Sara Jakubiak, Aleš Briscein and Günter Papendell Headline Stream of ‘Die Tote Stadt’ from Komische Oper Berlin

(Credit: Iko Freese/drama-berlin.de) Komische Oper Berlin has announced that it will stream a production of Korngold’s “Die Tote Stadt.” The opera will star soprano Sara Jakubiak, tenor Aleš Briscein, and baritone Günter Papendell. The cast also includes Maria Fiselier, Georgina Melville, Adrian Strooper, and Ivan Turšić. Ainārs Rubiķis conducts the production by Robert Carsen, which was filmed on Sept. 30, {…}