Over the past few years, Soprano Kristina Mkhitaryan’s star has been rapidly rising in the opera world. Since winning second prize at the Operalia Competition, the soprano has been making important debuts, role debuts and opening productions. And this week Mkhitaryan headlines another important production and a house debut. After a series of debuts, Mkhitaryan will make her Opera di {…}
Race and ethnicity continue to vex the opera world in the same manner as they do the rest of society. If events at last week’s Opera America Conference are indicative of the industry, it’s a topic that requires further discussion at future conferences with no easy answers in sight. There were no fewer than five panels related to race and {…}
Wagner’s “Die Walküre” recently had its anniversary celebration of its world premiere on June 26, 1870. Of the four operas in Wagner’s “Der Ring des Nibelungen,” it is probably the most well-known and popular. The simple fact that the Metropolitan Opera has picked it to be the sole representative of its upcoming cycle for the Live in HD broadcast is {…}
Over the years José Cura has distinguished himself as one of the great dramatic tenors of his generation singing such roles as the title role of “Otello,” “Tannhauser,” “Peter Grimes” and Samson in “Samson et Dalila.” His vocal prowess combined with his acting have made for some unforgettable performances. But Cura has not only become a distinguished performer, he has also {…}
The opera world has been rocked by the sexual abuse scandal at the Metropolitan Opera centering around maestro James Levine. The topic was confronted head on at Opera Conference 2018 hosted by OPERA America in a panel titled “Confronting Sexual Harassment, Abuse and Assault” that tackled these issues that have unfortunately become much too pertinent in the opera world. The {…}
Opera is home to some of humanity’s most infamous villains: manipulative characters who lie, cheat, and steal, pillage and murder, and generally ruin the loves of the innocent, unsuspecting heroes and heroines that we all know and love. But conflict and tension form the bones of most great art, and opera would not be opera without the Iagos, Scarpias, and {…}
“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 is Stanley Kubrick’s legendary {…}
It’s Pride month, so to celebrate we return to the series we began last year. This time we celebrate some of the great singers of today who have been advocates to the LGBT community or who simply enjoy a life being out and proud. David Daniels David Daniels has been one of the biggest proponents of the baroque repertoire and {…}
Over the past years, Javier Camarena has become one of the most in-demand tenors in the world. His charisma, blazing high notes, and expressive qualities have allowed him to create history. For example, he is just the second singer in Metropolitan Opera history to sing encores in multiple productions. He is also the second singer in the history of the Teatro Real to {…}
