(Photo Credit: Ken Howard) Does opera seen at the movies count as its own experience? With the advent of streamed opera in movie theaters, the idea that filmed opera can somehow replace or make up for the real-life experience is a touchy point. Of course, one can’t compare the feeling of being in an opera house with being in a {…}
It’s that time of the year again! The 2023-24 season is about to begin and audiences are getting ready to choose performances as they head back to the opera. With so much to choose from, OperaWire is breaking down 10 opera productions that are must-sees for all opera lovers from around the world. Aida – Berlin State Opera – Opens {…}
“Genoveva” is the only opera by Romantic composer Robert Schumann, composed beginning in 1842 and premiering on June 25, 1850, at the Leipzig Altes Theatre. Based on the story of Genevieve of Brabant, the opera coalesced many tropes of German Romanticism with the growing trend and influence of Wagnerian musicality. In 1995, to our luck, the opera was re-premiered again {…}
This week the Rossini Opera Festival is set to open with a rarely performed work, “Eduardo e Cristina.” It will be the first time the work is produced by the festival. In this premiere, the Fondazione Rossini will perform a new critical edition, edited by Alice Tavilla and Andrea Malnati. The production will bring some of the best Rossini singers {…}
Photo Credit: Karen Almond When you think of friends in opera, who do you think of? Perhaps your mind goes to the happiness shared between sisters in “Cosi Fan Tutte.” Or, more seriously, you think of the squabbles inherent in Johann Strauss’ “Die Fledermaus.” Whatever it may be, you don’t have to look far to find more than meets the {…}
This week, Piotr Beczała returns to Italy for his highly anticipated debut at the Arena di Verona. The Polish tenor, who is one of the most acclaimed singers of his generation has not performed at any major Italian theater since 2013; the tenor noted 10 years ago that he would not return to Italy after he was booed at the {…}
(Credit: (c) ROH 2021) This week, the Salzburg Festival is set to open its new production of Verdi’s “Macbeth” with a stellar cast that includes one of today’s most exciting artists at the festival, Asmik Grigorian. Ever since her debut at the Salzburg Festival in 2017 as Marie in “Wozzeck,” Grigorian has become a favorite of the festival. She has {…}
The idea of putting a movie inside of movie isn’t new, just look at films like “Matinee” (1993) and “The Stunt Man” (1980). But what about an opera inside an opera-based film? This is also not new. For example, the 1947 British film, “Take My Life.” For British director Henry Cass, however, the idea was realized in his 1949 film, {…}
(Credit: Wiener Staatsoper) It’s a big week for Juan Diego Flórez – the Peruvian tenor is set to take the stage of the Arena di Verona for the first time. Following a career that has led him to some of the most important Italian theaters in the world, including the Teatro alla Scala, Teatro Massimo di Palermo, Teatro dell’Opera di {…}
