This past week, the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis world premiered the new work by Ricky Ian Gordon, “This House.” The work tells the story of the Walker family, who have lived in the same Harlem brownstone since the 1920s, and they fought hard to keep what they have. The work is conducted by Daniela Candillari, the Principal Conductor of {…}
(Photo Credit: © Forster) The premiere of “The Tale of Tsar Saltan” at the Teatro Real de Madrid became an extraordinary event. Dmitri Tcherniakov offered the audience a new interpretation of the famous opera by Rimsky-Korsakov, transforming it from a fairy-tale into a psychological drama. The director boldly departs from familiar images and, like a surgeon, reveals the hidden meanings {…}
This week, the Royal Opera House will revive Gounod’s “Faust” with a cast of rising stars, including Carolina Lopez Moreno. Moreno will make her Royal Opera House debut and her debut as Marguerite. It is perhaps one of her highest profile assignments to date after the soprano’s whirlwind months, which have seen her make unexpected debuts with the Gran Teatre {…}
(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 {…}
