Donizetti is one of the fathers of Bel Canto, having written over 70 operas, his first work coming at the age of 19. Born on Nov. 29, 1797, the composer has become well-known for such operas as “L’Elisir d’Amore,” “Don Pasquale,” “Lucia di Lammermoor,” “Lucrezia Borgia,” as well as the Tudor trilogy, which has been revived by many of the great {…}
Daniel Brenna is one of the best-known heldentenors of his generation, singing across the world in many of the greatest theaters. His repertoire is immense and he is one of the few tenors right now regularly performing the role of Siegfried. And this week, he brings an original version of this interpretation in Vienna. Brenna will sing The Ring Trilogy {…}
Nathan Gunn is one of America’s great modern-day baritones. Born on Nov. 26, 1970, he has had a wide-ranging career that has seen him appear in a wide range of repertoire, from classics by Mozart and Rossini, to romantic works from the French masters, to a number of modern operas. The latter operas are the ones in which he has {…}
“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 Anthony Minghella’s “The {…}
English composer Benjamin Britten holds a reputation as one of the most prolific figures in 20th-century music. With a massive centennial celebration held worldwide just four years ago, his legacy is still preserved today as opera houses around the world continue to stage his legendary pieces. Britten was born on Nov. 22, 1913, and not a day has gone by where {…}
Dmitri Hvorostovsky’s passing is one of the unfortunate events of the modern opera world. A baritone gifted with an elegant sound and an ever-evolving musical maturity that made him so exciting and powerful to watch. He could dominate in French, Italian, or his native Russian, leaving us some of the finest interpretations of recent memory. As we look back on {…}
Sumi Jo has had a fascinating career. Born on Nov. 22, 1962, the South Korean soprano has not only established an international career singing at all the major opera houses around the globe, winning several major awards and competitions (including a Grammy), but she has also seen herself in contention for an Oscar. In fact, she’s had quite the career {…}
Rene Kollo (or René Kollodzieyski, as he was born on Nov. 20, 1937), was a renowned Wagnerian tenor. He took on every major leading role by the great composer, recording almost all of his interpretations to great acclaim with the best of conductors. His Siegfried was recorded with Wolfgang Sawallisch, his Lohengrin and Walther von Stolzing with Herbert Von Karajan, {…}
This week, John Adams fifth opera “Girls of the Golden West” makes its world premiere at the San Francisco Opera. The premiere will mark the second time one of Adams’ operas opens at the company. The new work is inspired by the 1851/1852 letters of Louise Amelia Knapp Smith Clappe who lived for a year and a half in the {…}
