Rossini’s “Guillaume Tell” is quite a unique case. Premiering on August 3, 1829, the opera is considered by many to contain some of Rossini’s greatest dramatic genius. And yet the opera has never quite held a proper place in the operatic canon the way that his “Il Barbiere di Siviglia” or even “La Cenerentola” have. And yet, in some ways, {…}
Alexandre Dumas, père, is one of the most famous writers in the history of French literature. Some of his works, notably, “The Three Musketeers” and “The Count of Montecristo” have even transcended his homeland to become fixtures of the international literary canon. Shockingly, it is his son who is better known in the opera world thanks in part to a {…}
Nadine Sierra is enjoying one of the most spectacular careers in the opera world. On this day, May 14, 2018, she turns 30, already having managed a historic career by modern standards. So in celebration of the big 3-0 we look at 30 fun facts on Sierra. 1. She is a native of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. 2. Sierra trained at {…}
Monserrat Caballé and Sondra Radvanovsky are two of the most revered sopranos of their generation. Caballé was well-known for her expressive voice and her immense repertoire. Meanwhile, today Radvanovsky is dominating the Italian verismo, Bel canto, and Verdi repertoire showing her range and flexibility. Both sopranos also performed a number of unknown or rarely-performed operas. To celebrate their birthdays, which are one {…}
Russian Baritone Sergei Leiferkus, born on April 4, 1946, is recognized for his unique vocal quality. If you haven’t heard him before, then you should, because he has one of the most individual sounds you’ll ever hear. In fact, here’s an excerpt from a role we will talk about in a bit. In any case, the baritone enjoyed a solid {…}
When you sing a major part of your career with one theater, you get to experience a ton of major moments in said organization’s history. Rosalind Elias, born on March 13, 1929, was such an artist, experiencing a major part of her artist life at the Metropolitan Opera. In sum, she showed up on the Met’s stage 687 times between {…}
Verdi’s “La Traviata” is one of the most iconic in music history. Why? It’s heroine Violetta is one of the most powerful and admirable characters in the art form. With her Verdi questioned the social boundaries of the time, taking a contemporary subject and placing it in the opera house during a time when opera was only intended to look {…}
Florence Quivar, born on March 3, 1944, is one of the great American mezzos of her time. She first came to love opera upon hearing the Met Opera on tour and then eventually launched on a mission to become a great opera singer in her own right. Her journey took her through the Julliard School, Philadelphia Academy of Music, and {…}
Simon Estes, born on March 2, 1938, did not have an easy career path. While the bass-baritone succeeded in Europe in his early years, the United States didn’t take too well to him. He was only accepted for minor roles at most prominent theaters and it wasn’t until 1981, 16 years after his professional debut, that the Metropolitan Opera offered {…}
Gioachino Rossini is one of the three Bel Canto masters whose music has been performed regularly over the years. However, unlike Bellini or Donizetti, Rossini has gotten the reputation for being a composer of comedy and sometimes his opera seria has been overlooked in favor of such masterpieces as “Il Barbiere di Siviglia,” “Le Comte Ory,” “La Cenerentola” and “Il {…}