(Credit: © 国家大剧院National Centre for the Performing Arts Davinia Rodríguez is one of Spain’s most acclaimed and beloved sopranos. She has sung in every major Spanish theater and around the world and has performed a range of repertoire that stretches from the great Bel Canto operas to the dramatic early Verdi roles, including her acclaimed Lady Macbeth. This week Rodríguez {…}
Luciano Pavarotti was born on Oct. 12, 1935 and would go on to one of the most iconic careers in the history of music. The Italian tenor would wind up being more than just a figure in the opera world, but would break the barriers of the mainstream to remain one of the great international artists of the 20th century. {…}
Giuseppe Verdi is undeniably one of the greatest composers in the history of opera with such works as “La Traviata,” “Aida,” “Rigoletto,” ubiquitous with the artform. Verdi’s genius is often associated with his melodic vibrancy and muscularity, but the greatest strength of his art is his ability to embed his characters with deep humanity, even in the most absurd of {…}
Since Sept. 6, 2019, the Morgan Library & Museum in New York City has been holding an exhibition that details the development and creation of Verdi’s final two operas. The exhibition, entitled “Verdi: Creating ‘Otello’ and ‘Falstaff’” and curated by Gabriele Dotto, presents a wide range of materials courtesy of the Bertelsmann-owned Ricordi Archive, all organized as to give the {…}
(Credit: Christian Leiber/ ONP) This week the Metropolitan Opera is set to open its classic production of “Madama Butterfly” with some of the opera’s greatest interpreters and some Met favorites. And with the cast comes a new Met star, Piero Pretti. Pretti, who has established himself throughout Europe since his 2006 professional debut, will make his Met debut in his signature {…}
Verdi’s birthday is this coming week, which means this week’s quiz is all about the famed Italian composer and his work. For this edition of the quiz, we will either show you an image or a prompt and it will be your task to determine the opera that best fits. As always, have fun!
(Credit: Virginia Opera) Tosca is the ultimate diva role. It’s the role most sopranos dream of singing because of its demands both as a singer and actress. This week the Virginia Opera will see rising star Ewa Plonka make her company debut in her very first “Tosca” performances. Plonka, a prize winner of such prestigious competitions as the Marcello Giordani {…}
(Credit: Charles Duprat / Opera de Paris) As we continue to get into the rhythm for the new season, we present a quiz that puts one of the main elements of any new season at the forefront: new productions. Regardless of how you might feel about the current trends of modern productions, there is no denying that they present unique {…}
(Credit: Fox Searchlight Pictures) Opera Meets Film” is a feature dedicated to exploring the way that opera has been employed in cinema. We will select a section or a film in its entirety, highlighting the impact that utilizing the operatic form or sections from an opera can alter our perception of a film that we are viewing. This week’s installment {…}
