For many Richard Wagner is the greatest composer in the history of opera. The German master, born on May 22, 1813, revolutionized not only how opera was created, but he also changed the direction of musical composition, among other things. Everyone knows him for the 10 operas that he wrote, starting with “Die Fliegende Holländer” and concluding with “Parsifal,” though {…}
Olga Peretyatko, born on May 21, 1980, is one of in-demand coloratura sopranos of her time. She is currently dominating the role of Gilda in Verdi’s “Rigoletto,” Violetta in Verdi’s “La Traviata” and Donizetti’s “Lucia di Lammermoor.” However, before Olga Peretyatko was a huge star in the opera world the soprano was a household name at the Rossini Opera Festival {…}
Eric Owens has been appointed the Artistic Advisor for the Glimmerglass Festival. The famed bass-baritone will be consulting closely with the festival’s Artistic and General Director Francesca Zambello and Music Director Joseph Colaneri regarding the repertoire and casting. He will also be performing roles on the mainstage in the 2018 and 2019 season. “I believe passionately in artists continuing their {…}
Everyone remembers Francesco Maria Piave for his extensive association with Giuseppe Verdi. The librettist, born on May 18, 1810, famously wrote 10 librettos for the famed composer, including such masterworks as “Rigoletto,” “La Traviata” and “Macbeth.” But his output was not limited to just Verdi works. In fact, he wrote a plethora of librettos for other composers. Here is a {…}
Yesterday we took a look at two titanic sopranos that shared a birthday. Today, May 18, we turn our attention to two important basses that were also born on the same day. Ezio Pinza’s birth came on this day in 1892 while Boris Christoff’s came in 1914. Both artists led rather different careers with the former finishing out his career {…}
Zinka Milanov was born on May 17, 1906. Exactly 12 years later, on May 17, 1918, Birgit Nilsson was born. The two women would go on to markedly different careers, though they both performed at the greatest houses in the world and would perform with many of the same artists, albeit in different operas. Both women were dramatic sopranos, and {…}
(Credit: Tandun.com) For centuries, the major opera houses of the world have regularly programmed operas from European composers with some offerings of North American and, in fewer cases, South American composers. But when was the last time, with the exception of Tan Dun’s “The Last Emperor,” you heard an opera from an Asian composer. You probably haven’t. And it is {…}
Plácido Domingo needs no introduction. He not only holds the record for most roles sung in opera for a single individual, but also has a lengthy career that has spanned half a century. And this week he celebrates his 50th anniversary at the Vienna State Opera in a special gala. The tenor made his debut at the Vienna State Opera {…}
This article is a joint collaboration between David & Francisco Salazar. This past weekend saw the end of the Metropolitan Opera’s 2016-17 season. This week we will take a look back at the greatest moments that this season brought us, beginning with the top performers that we enjoyed. Since ladies should always go first, we start with the top 10 {…}
