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 {…}
The holidays are upon us and most will be together to celebrate them. There will a lot of downtime and this will give families a chance to catch up on movies or simply relax and listen to some great music. For families interested in enjoying an opera together, the following is a list of works that family and holiday friendly {…}
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 {…}
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 {…}
We all know the story. The manger. The three wise men. Herod’s murder of innocent children. And of course, the birth. Jesus Christ’s origins are a well-documented story for many and the source of great inspiration for artists for centuries. Opera is no different with a plethora of works related to great story. A look back over the history of {…}
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 {…}
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 {…}
Ludwig Van Beethoven turned 246 on Friday, Dec. 16. Upon his death in 1827, the composer left behind veritable masterpieces of classical music. His most famous works are his nine symphonies, his piano sonatas and concertos and his string quartets. There was also one opera, “Fidelio.” The composer is said to have struggled to create this singular work, creating three {…}
Every year has a share of rising and breakout stars as well as opera singers who solidify or take their careers in new directions. Others make important debuts or create roles that audiences would have never expected and conquer. This is what makes a performer stick in an audience’s mind for the whole year. For this year OperaWire has put {…}
