On Jan. 24, 1835 Bellini premiered his final opera, “Puitani.” Despite being beloved for its beautiful melodies and incredible coloratura challenges, the opera is also known for its ludicrous story line. This season the Metropolitan Opera is presenting the work with an all star cast and a new diva. The Met has always used the opera as a showcase for {…}
A month ago Russell Thomas surprised Metropolitan Opera audiences with his immense voice and gleaming high notes. The role was the small but crucial part of Ismaele in Verdi’s “Nabucco.” While this is a character that can sometimes be ignored, Thomas brought undisputed star power to it. With such a big breakout, Thomas is set for another milestone in his {…}
Joseph Calleja is one of today’s leading tenors in the opera world as his voice is recognized for having a Golden Age timbre. On Jan. 22 Calleja is not only celebrating his 39th birthday, but he is also celebrating 20 years since his professional debut. As a result, OperaWire takes a look at 20 facts about Joseph Calleja. The tenor {…}
Roberta Peters’ passing on Thursday, Jan. 19, 2017 was a rough day for the opera community. The soprano, who had such a memorable career at the Metropolitan, was an artist like no other. She was elegant both physically and vocally and her singing was undeniably fearless. She took on many repertoire classics but never had any qualms about adding her {…}
I imagine that upon reading the title of this article, you were probably confused about the arbitrary pairing of Verdi’s “Il Trovatore” and Massenet’s “Manon.” The former is an opera in the Bel Canto style, firmly looking backwards in both its subject matter and style while the latter is one of Manon and French opera’s more progressive operas. The former {…}
Corrupt power is at the heart of most drama. Seeing rulers misuse their power for personal greed or arrogance is at the heart of the mythology on ruling. Moreover, it is impossible not to find some degree of corruption in every leader regardless of his or her greatness. After all, this is a world where a Nobel Peace Prize winner {…}
The Verdi and Bel Canto repertoire has some of the most challenging music for soprano. It requires flexibility in the voice as well as high and low testitura. Coloratura runs are a must and clear diction and attention to the text are paramount. Among contemporary artists, Angela Meade has been championing this repertoire by not only performing the warhorses such {…}
Today is the day people in the United States celebrate the memory of Civil Rights hero Martin Luther King Jr. In a world where the legacy of America’s first black president is in danger of complete and utter eradication and many fear for their rights and freedoms in a political crossroads and tumult, Dr. King’s legacy stands rather prominently. The {…}
The world is set to undergo a change this week with a massive transfer of power. There is tremendous uncertainty regarding this situation, some expecting the very worst. Art represents an interesting window into our deepest fears and opera has its fair share of oppressive regimes and tyrannical rule in all guises. What follows is a look at some of {…}
