What happens when creatives move in different directions than their main artistic medium? For many, moving between the mediums is a natural process, a way to materialize one’s creative impulses through various means. Auguste Rodin, the celebrated naturalist sculptor of the late 19th-20th century, was a fine painter as his numerous works show, although is best known for works like {…}
In the body of opera-oriented films, from contemporary works like ‘The Moon and the Stars‘ (2007), and ‘Florence Foster Jenkins‘ (2016), to earlier icons like ‘Fire at the Opera‘ (1930) and ‘Champagne Waltz‘ (1939), the ways opera and operatic life is conveyed on screen is highly diverse. However, go far enough backwards and one will find a way of conveying the operatic body {…}
Photo Credit: Arnaldo Colombaroli/Teatro Colon. Throughout opera, one can find tales of undeserved execution, unjust torture, and brutal treatment. Yet, one can also find tales of noble bravery, stalwart moral goodness, and uncompromisable virtue. Two sides of human nature, brutality is often not far from humanity and in opera, we are able to see this in spades. These stories, however, {…}
This week, teh Festival Aix-en-Provence is set to open a new production of “La Calisto.” The work, which is rarely performed, will see mezzo-soprano Giuseppina Bridelli, who is a highly regarded singer of the Baroque repertoire. The Italian mezzo will make her role debut as Diana a year after making her festival debut in Aix. Regarding the role, Bridelli said, {…}
On July 19, the Teatro Real will broadcast the iconic Willy Decker production of “La Traviata,” marking 20 years since the production premiered. When it opened in 2005, it became an instant classic for its modern, minimalist approach and its stark staging focusing on the three main characters. The production also emphasized time and Violetta’s impending death through a large {…}
(Credit: AJ Coots) Wexford Festival Opera has named Suzanne Nance to the position of Executive Director. Nance, who was recently stepped down from her position at All Classical Radio after 10 years with the company, will take up her new role in January 2026, taking over for Interim Executive Direcor Loughlin Deegan. “I am deeply honoured to join Wexford Festival {…}
I have just returned from Mexico City after the Latin American premiere of our opera, “I Am A Dreamer Who No Longer Dreams”, which follows the story of two migrants to the United States of America, one of whom is facing deportation. I am proud to have been commissioned by White Snake Projects to compose the piece, working with the {…}
John Irvin’s 2007 film “The Moon and the Stars” is a tale of arduous love, societal stigma, and unyielding dedication to art. The story revolves around the production of a cinematic rendition of Puccini’s fifth opera, “Tosca.” There are two primary narratives that play out in tandem: the arrest of the production’s director, Davide Rieti, a gay Jewish man played by {…}
Photo Credit: Lisa Chanell As Pride 2025 comes to a close, it’s helpful to remember the many voices which contributed to the liberated voicing of the LGBT+ community that we’ve heard this month. From the ripples caused by Stonewall, embodied sexual openness and its celebration in many forms, to dramatic stories of frustrated love, opera has become a preeminent venue {…}
