(©Cory Weaver – LA Opera) Verdi’s “Il Trovatore” has an interesting reputation in opera history. A staple of the opera canon, it is widely beloved for its melodic abundance and as a final homage to the greatness of bel canto. For Verdi it came at a period of major artistic fecundity and stands as the middle opera in a trilogy {…}
(Photo Credit @Paramount Pictures) Stephen Frears‘ 2016 film, “Florence Foster Jenkins,” was a instantaneous, worldwide success among critics and the public alike. It was one of the most popular biopic projects in recent Hollywood history to touch upon the musical scene before the release of Pablo Larraín’s “Maria.” The film tells of the exploits of Florence Foster Jenkins (1868-1944), who {…}
(Credit: © Sandra Then) The sounds of history often linger, echoing into the present in ways that demand our attention. Sometimes they whisper, unsettling but distant; other times, they crash through with devastating force. In Germany, the past is never far from the surface, but it has rarely felt as raw and urgent as it does now. At the Hanover {…}
Conductor and author Michael Downes explains why and how he chose to trace the creation of Wagner’s masterpiece in his upcoming book. It is often said that there are more books about Wagner than any historical figure other than Napoleon or Jesus. This is not actually true, but the myth’s frequent resurfacing indicates that there are already an awful lot {…}
Who knew that a music video entitled “Opera” could instigate a conversation on the nature of opera and being human? Thanks must be given to Niklas Paschburg, a German musical artist whose ‘ambient pop’ style blurs the distance between conscious and unconscious feeling: itself the very constitution of opera’s ‘third death.’ In this month’s “Opera Meets Film,” I explore the {…}
(Credit: Bernd Uhlig) On April 13, the Berlin State Opera kicked off a new production of “Norma” by Vasily Barkhatov. The opera opened the company’s 2025 festival with Rachel Willis-Sørensen making her role debut as Norma. For the American soprano, this new venture into the bel canto repertory represents a departure from the repertoire she is best known for, which {…}
This week, the Staatsoper Hamburg is set to revive its production of “Falstaff” with a starry cast of acclaimed singers including Simon Keenlyside, Danielle De Niese, and Christopher Purves. It also includes rising stars like Olivia Warburton, who is making her role debut as Nannetta. The soprano, who made her Staatsoper Hamburg debut in 2023, has joined the company in {…}
(Credit: Michele Crosera) This week, the Teatro La Fenice opens a new production of Donizetti’s masterpiece “Anna Bolena” featuring a cast of Bel Canto specialists. Leading the cast is Russian soprano Lidia Fridman. Over the years, the rising star soprano has made a name for herself in the Bel Canto repertoire since her breakout at the Donizetti opera Festival singing {…}
Opera exists throughout the world, from more traditional forms that depart from Westernized forms such as Peking opera, to more blended forms like the Zarzuela. Outside the European framework, opera has taken on an incredibly diverse range of complexions, from the Savoy opera to the Farsa. And while many more categories exist, it cannot be denied that European-styled opera is {…}
