Roberta Peters’ passing on Thursday, Jan. 19, 2017 was a rough day for the opera community. The soprano, who had such a memorable career at the Metropolitan, was an artist like no other. She was elegant both physically and vocally and her singing was undeniably fearless. She took on many repertoire classics but never had any qualms about adding her {…}
I imagine that upon reading the title of this article, you were probably confused about the arbitrary pairing of Verdi’s “Il Trovatore” and Massenet’s “Manon.” The former is an opera in the Bel Canto style, firmly looking backwards in both its subject matter and style while the latter is one of Manon and French opera’s more progressive operas. The former {…}
Corrupt power is at the heart of most drama. Seeing rulers misuse their power for personal greed or arrogance is at the heart of the mythology on ruling. Moreover, it is impossible not to find some degree of corruption in every leader regardless of his or her greatness. After all, this is a world where a Nobel Peace Prize winner {…}
The Verdi and Bel Canto repertoire has some of the most challenging music for soprano. It requires flexibility in the voice as well as high and low testitura. Coloratura runs are a must and clear diction and attention to the text are paramount. Among contemporary artists, Angela Meade has been championing this repertoire by not only performing the warhorses such {…}
Today is the day people in the United States celebrate the memory of Civil Rights hero Martin Luther King Jr. In a world where the legacy of America’s first black president is in danger of complete and utter eradication and many fear for their rights and freedoms in a political crossroads and tumult, Dr. King’s legacy stands rather prominently. The {…}
The world is set to undergo a change this week with a massive transfer of power. There is tremendous uncertainty regarding this situation, some expecting the very worst. Art represents an interesting window into our deepest fears and opera has its fair share of oppressive regimes and tyrannical rule in all guises. What follows is a look at some of {…}
Ben Heppner was one of the most beloved dramatic tenors of his time and one that was admired for his technique. While he retired from the opera world and dedicated himself to radio, the tenor left so many memorable moments on stage. This season he celebrated his 25th anniversary at the Metropolitan Opera with a special gala alongside Deborah Voigt {…}
Juan Diego Florez is one of the most beloved tenors around the world. He has dominated the Bel Canto repertoire for years and his mastery of coloratura is unmeasured. For years the tenor has made an effort to revive works that are rarely performed or simply have been lost in the repertoire. These works have been given special treatment as {…}
Renato Bruson is one of the famous Verdi baritones of all time. His rotund sound had such tremendous range that allowed him to tackle all of the composer’s major roles, almost all to resounding success. He also had such a fantastic technical mastery of his voice that, despite being born on Jan. 13, 1936, he could still be heard singing {…}
