Composer Thea Musgrave is one of the great trailblazers of the 20th century. In a time where most of the operatic repertory was created by men, she stood out with a wide-ranging operatic repertory that included her big hit “Mary, Queen of Scots.” In sum, she has written nearly a dozen operas throughout her career, many of them focusing on {…}
“Page to Stage” looks at stories – real-life or fiction, old and new – that have inspired operas, and the ways these narratives have been edited and dramatized to fit a new medium. This second instalment looks at Henry James’ and Benjamin Britten’s “The Turn of the Screw.” A governess is hired to look after two children by a distant {…}
“We have to take care of the opera’s legacy, but at the same time create what has not yet been yet created,” says composer Esa-Pekka Salonen. “If we don’t take the risk, it will dry out and lose its relevance.” Last year, the opera found itself on the threshold of another change: people were no longer allowed to perform and {…}
Julius Rudel was one of the trailblazing leaders of opera and classical music in the twentieth century. Born on March 6, 1921 in Vienna, this year marks the 100th anniversary of the conductor’s birth. “I had the opportunity to know him up close and personal,” explained Tony Rudel, the maestro’s son. “His happiest moments were working with music and spending {…}
Kaija Saariaho is one of the most renowned classical music composers of today. The Helsinki native has had her music performed all over the world at such major organizations as Lincoln Center, the Salzburg Festival, the Théâtre de Châtelet, the Metropolitan Opera, and the New York Philharmonic among many others. She is a Grammy Award winner and was crowned as {…}
“Opera Meets Film” is a feature dedicated to exploring the way that opera has been employed in cinema. We will select a film section or a film in its entirety and highlight the impact that utilizing the operatic form or sections from an opera can alter our perception of a film that we are viewing. This week’s installment features Luis {…}
“Page to Opera Stage” looks at stories – real-life or fiction, old and new – that have inspired operas, and the ways these narratives have been edited and dramatized to fit a new medium. This week’s installment – the first one – looks at Alexander Pushkin’s and Pyotr Ilych Tchaikovsky’s “Eugene Onegin.” At the age of 26, the poet, novelist, {…}
(Photo Credit: Alamy Stock Photos) OperaWire is proud to present The Wonderful World of Opera Dogs, a series by Diana Burgwyn, which will focus on the relationship between opera’s most iconic stars and their beloved canines. The creation of this series and all research necessary for each individual piece was conducted solely by Diana. To learn more about the origins {…}
For this week’s Word Search we turn our attention to operas that had their world premieres in the month of February. Instructions: You are free to solve the word search directly on your mobile or desktop device; just click the first and last letter of each word for it to appear on the screen. For those using a mobile device, {…}
