This Saturday, the Lyric Opera of Chicago opens its 2017-18 season with Gluck’s famed “Orphée et Eurydice.” At the center of this drama of lost love will be tenor Dmitry Korchak, who will be taking on the title role of Orphée in his LYOC debut. Joining him will be Ryan Opera Center alumna Andrana Chuchmann as his lover Eurydice. Korchak {…}
Anna Netrebko is arguably the most famous opera singer currently performing on the opera stage. Born on Sept. 18, 1971, Netrebko has broken many records as she has topped the pop charts in Germany and was the first opera singer to be on the Time’s 100 most influential people. She became the first soprano to headline three opening nights at the Metropolitan {…}
A week ago we remarked that in the modern operatic canon, the works of Giacomo Meyerbeer are non-existent. That is even truer for Saverio Mercadante, a composer who was famous in his time but has not seen his works achieve anything resembling a revival. Baptized on Sept. 17, 1795 (the date of his “illegitimate” birth remains a mystery), he was {…}
Elīna Garanča is one of the most famous singers of the modern opera world. Born on Sept. 16, 1976, the Latvian mezzo has gone from bel canto specialist to a dominant singing actress in the dramatic repertoire. Known for her vocal prowess and technical perfection (have you ever heard her struggle with any vocal line?), she is also an imaginative {…}
Conductor Bruno Walter, born on Sept. 15, 1876 as Bruno Schlesinger, was one of the finest conductors of the 20th century. His career was, in many ways, linked to the works of Gustav Mahler, but he also had an extensive repertoire and worked at a number of prominent opera houses including the Salzburg Festival, the Staatsoper Unter den Linden, the {…}
Jessye Norman is a singer who defied fach — she sang what she wanted, when she wanted, but more importantly, she took on what felt right for her. In fact, she once stated in her youth that “pigeonholes are only comfortable for pigeons.” And what a blessing it is that she listened to her gut, or else one might not {…}
Bass Nicolai Ghiaurov, born on Sept. 13, 1929, developed a fantastic resume singing the roles of Verdi and those of Mussorsky. Born in Velingrad in Southern Bulgaria, his potent voice would become his signature and a fan-favorite for opera lovers the world over. His career is filled with a number of major moments, but in this piece, we will highlight {…}
Tatiana Troyanos is widely admired as one of the greatest mezzo sopranos in all of history. Her musical commitment and ever-insightful interpretations have made her a figure admired by all. Many great singers of today, including Joyce DiDonato and Susan Graham, have seen her as a major influence on their artistry, with the former going so far as to say {…}
Ramón Vargas is one of the great artists of the past few decades. Born on Sept. 11, 1960, the tenor has managed an international career in a wide range of repertoire from the great Bel Canto roles through some more dramatic territory in recent years. Hailing from México City, the tenor started singing at age nine and would go on {…}
