“Opera Meets Film” is a feature dedicated to exploring the way that opera has been employed in cinema. We will select a section or a film in its entirety, highlighting 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 Joel Edgerton’s “The {…}
Thomas Hampson has long been one of the greatest opera singers of his generation singing in all the great opera houses in the world and interpreting some of the most iconic roles in the art form. He has also been recognized as a great recitalist showing great enthusiasm for the American Songbook and a big proponent of Mahler’s music in {…}
Montserrat Caballé was one of the great sopranos of the 20th century. For many, she was the iconic opera superstar with a powerful artistry that was only matched by her renowned generosity and kindness as a person. She sang with almost all of the great artists of the second half of the 20th century and left a plethora of recordings. {…}
Opera aficionados d’un certain âge remember Leyla Gencer with almost idolatrous admiration and no small degree of reverence. With the passing of time, most younger devotees of the lyric theatre have about as much knowledge of “La Diva Turca” as they do Maria Reining or Toti dal Monte. Born Ayshe Leyla Ceyrekgil in Istanbul sometime between 1918-1928, Gencer enjoyed a {…}
“Opera Meets Film” is a feature dedicated to exploring the way that opera has been employed in cinema. We will select a section or a film in its entirety, highlighting 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 “Maria by Callas,” {…}
Brian Jagde is one of today’s rising stars in the opera world and his powerful tenor has obtained raves. Today he is in high demand around the world and one of the roles that he has garnered him attention is that of Cavaradossi. Currently starring in San Francisco Opera’s new production of “Tosca,” Jagde will break the record this season {…}
Carmen Giannattasio is one of the consummate singing actresses of today, her soprano able to take on a wide range of repertoire that includes the works of Verdi, Puccini, Leoncavallo, Bellini, Rossini, and Donizetti. In recent years, we’ve seen her move into more dramatic territory with recent forays into such works as “I Masnadieri.” Now she is taking another step {…}
It’s Podcast Day! While relatively new, podcasts are a major part of how we consume information about virtually any topic to our heart’s content. The audio format has become a key to connecting with opera audiences around the world and in honor of the day, we are going to highlight some of our favorite podcasts that we feel you should {…}
Singers sharing birthdays is quite coming. Seeing three singers of the same exact voice type with similar repertoire sharing birthday? Rare. Seeing two of those very baritones, often considered among the greatest ever, born on the same exact day? Rarer still. And yet here we are. Ettore Bastianini and Cornell MacNeil were born on the same day, and Pablo Elvira, {…}
