For years, Elīna Garanča has been making headlines for her incredible technique, dramatic power, and incredible stage presence. She has conquered the works of Donizetti, Bellini, Bizet and Rossini and has also created memorable portrayals as Charlotte in “Werther,” Leonore in “La Favorite” and a highly acclaimed “Carmen.” After years of singing from the lyric repertoire and saying goodbye to {…}
Next to Richard Wagner, is there an opera composer that stands as tall as Giuseppe Verdi? Born on Oct. 9, 1813, the composer’s output far outpaced many opera creators before and after. But what is most fascinating is that his works endure to this day. While some of his greatest works have always held a spot in the operatic canon, {…}
“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 the Richard Gere {…}
Bass Ruggero Raimondi built a great career that saw him dominate in the great Italian repertoire. Born on Oct. 3, 1941, Raimondi was a student at the Giuseppe Verdi Conservatory in Milan, would go on to a win the National Competition for young singers in Spoleto, and then become one of the best in the world. Besides having a world {…}
“Fra Diavolo” is a rarely performed opera and yet it has a great deal to offer for the tenor that decides to take on its major challenges. Well, this week, tenor John Osborn will be the man to step into the role of Auber’s opera at the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma with a cast that also features Roberto de Candia, {…}
It is Hispanic Heritage month! The Latin American community has, particularly in recent years, been a major boon to the opera world, providing it with great singers and composers, and a number of great operas. As the third part of this weekly series, we will look at some of the most popular male Hispanic singers currently dominating the operatic world. Rolando {…}
There is perhaps no tenor more lauded for his interpretation in the German repertoire than Fritz Wunderlich. The German tenor worked mostly in his home country until his untimely death in 1966. American audiences were robbed of his Metropolitan Opera debut, and there is surely a hole missing where his growth as an artist would have been fostered. In honor of {…}
Although written by two men, “Girls of the Golden West” is centered around the lives of the hardy women of Rich Bar (a mining camp in the Sierra mountains) and Downieville, California in the early 1850s. Throughout the Works and Process presentation at the Guggenheim on Sept. 21, John Adams (composer) and Peter Sellars (librettist/director) made it clear that this opera {…}
The start of the Met seasons is always an exciting time. A new production of a major classic to kick off the year, followed, usually, by a slew of other classic productions. Usually, we also get a new star making a prominent debut, as is the case with mezzo-soprano Tara Erraught, who is coming to the Met as Nicklausse in {…}
