December 26 marks the premiere of three major operas of the Bel canto repertoire. Donizetti’s “Anna Bolena” premiered the day after Christmas in 1830 while his “Lucrezia Borgia” premiered in 1833 of that same date. Meanwhile, Bellini’s “Norma” premiered on the 26th of December in 1831. All three works share similarities in that they are some of the most difficult works {…}
Johannes Martin Kränzle is slowly becoming a recognized artist in the world of opera. After studying violin and composition for years, the baritone turned to opera and has not looked back ever since. Even after a setback from Bone Marrow Disease, Kränzle’s return to the stage has had critics raving. This week, with many artists taking a break, Kränzle will {…}
Today Edita Gruberova is celebrating her 70th birthday and 50 years on stage. Considered one of the greatest sopranos in the history of opera, the legendary singer continues a hectic schedule singing across Europe. As we celebrate the icon’s amazing work, Operawire takes a look back at five roles that Gruberova has made her own. Queen of the Night in {…}
Thursday December 22 is the 158th birthday of one of the greatest opera composers of all time – Giacomo Puccini. The Italian composer is best known for his brilliant melodic invention and his operatic output, while relatively small when compared with the likes of Italian predecessors such as Verdi, Rossini or Donizetti, is among the most popular in the entire {…}
Rolando Villazon recently announced that he had helped raise over $5,000 in supporting USA for UNHCR and the aid it is providing for refugees. Humanitarian efforts in the world of opera are not new and there have been many other major singers like Villazon that have or continue to contribute to great causes. The following is a look at some {…}
It can be hard to get a chance to hear some of the greatest opera singers in the world in the theater. But many great artists have seen their efforts preserved on some form of recording, whether it be in studio recordings or video. OperaWire’s Artist of the Week Isabel Leonard has a unique recorded library which features numerous classics {…}
The opera world is known to be untouchable and sometimes elitist. Opera stars are known for just performing opera and not going out of this vein of music. However, this is simply a misconception of pop culture thought. Opera stars are very well versed in many styles of music and many of the most popular have explored new musical landscapes {…}
This year is coming to a close and after having looked back at some of the milestones certain stars made this year, it is time to look at 2017. There is so much to look forward to as many of the greatest stars will take on new roles while other will reprise signature roles in new productions with star-studded casts. {…}
Isabel Leonard is recognized as one of the brightest stars in the opera world for her vocal beauty and vocal fireworks. After years of exploring Mozart and the baroque repertoire, Leonard is moving into new territory this season. She recently made her role debut as Adalgisa in Bellini’s “Norma” and last week she made her role debut as Charlotte in {…}
