(Credit: Fabrizio Sansoni) On May 14, the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma will present a new production of Mozart’s “Il Re Pastore” with a cast of Mozart specialists, including Benedetta Torre, who will sing the role of Tamiri. The soprano will make a double debut as she will sing the role for the first time in her career while making her {…}
(©Cory Weaver – LA Opera) Verdi’s “Il Trovatore” has an interesting reputation in opera history. A staple of the opera canon, it is widely beloved for its melodic abundance and as a final homage to the greatness of bel canto. For Verdi it came at a period of major artistic fecundity and stands as the middle opera in a trilogy {…}
(Photo Credit @Paramount Pictures) Stephen Frears‘ 2016 film, “Florence Foster Jenkins,” was a instantaneous, worldwide success among critics and the public alike. It was one of the most popular biopic projects in recent Hollywood history to touch upon the musical scene before the release of Pablo Larraín’s “Maria.” The film tells of the exploits of Florence Foster Jenkins (1868-1944), who {…}
This weekend, the Pittsburgh Opera is set to present the world premiere of “Woman with Eyes Closed” by Jennifer Higdon. The work is experimental in nature as it needs to be seen at least twice, as each night of the production has the possibility of a completely new ending. Over the years, Higdon has become one of the most acclaimed {…}
Conductor and author Michael Downes explains why and how he chose to trace the creation of Wagner’s masterpiece in his upcoming book. It is often said that there are more books about Wagner than any historical figure other than Napoleon or Jesus. This is not actually true, but the myth’s frequent resurfacing indicates that there are already an awful lot {…}
Who knew that a music video entitled “Opera” could instigate a conversation on the nature of opera and being human? Thanks must be given to Niklas Paschburg, a German musical artist whose ‘ambient pop’ style blurs the distance between conscious and unconscious feeling: itself the very constitution of opera’s ‘third death.’ In this month’s “Opera Meets Film,” I explore the {…}
(Picture Credit @Wonge Bergmann) What happens when opera is pushed to the far reaches of the socially acceptable, artistically expected, narratively conventional, and formally structured? You end up with controversial productions, reconstructed variations of well-known stories, and strange configurations of unknown ones. One may remember what happened not so long ago with Stutgart’s “Sancta Susanna” or, longer ago, Adams’ “The {…}
This week, the Staatsoper Hamburg is set to revive its production of “Falstaff” with a starry cast of acclaimed singers including Simon Keenlyside, Danielle De Niese, and Christopher Purves. It also includes rising stars like Olivia Warburton, who is making her role debut as Nannetta. The soprano, who made her Staatsoper Hamburg debut in 2023, has joined the company in {…}
(Credit: Michele Crosera) This week, the Teatro La Fenice opens a new production of Donizetti’s masterpiece “Anna Bolena” featuring a cast of Bel Canto specialists. Leading the cast is Russian soprano Lidia Fridman. Over the years, the rising star soprano has made a name for herself in the Bel Canto repertoire since her breakout at the Donizetti opera Festival singing {…}
