When you look at the body of work of the great tenor Franco Corelli, you might well imagine that Ponchielli’s “La Gioconda” to be a prominent role in his repertoire. The tenor role of Enzo is substantial and his dramatic weight is suitable to Corelli’s vocal talents. And you would be right, to a certain extent. But the tenor, whose {…}
Herbert Von Karajan is one of greatest musicians to ever live. Born on April 5, 1907, the famed conductor left a massive recorded legacy after a career that included prominent performances with the top orchestras in the world. While most would likely identify the Austrian maestro with the works of Beethoven or Tchaikovsky or Verdi or Wagner (among many others), {…}
Valentina Naforniță is quickly becoming a leading lady in the opera world. Her rise came shortly after winning the Cardiff Singer of the World competition in 2011 and since then she has been a main attraction at the Vienna State Opera. While Naforniță may not be a recognizable name yet in the States, this week she expands her horizons as {…}
Sergei Rachmaninoff’s claim to fame is the piano. His virtuosic ability as a performer was always admired, but his piano concertos are the legacy that keeps on giving. Today, his second and third piano concertos are fixtures of the instrument’s repertoire and have been for the past century. But Rachmaninoff was also a composer of other works, including several orchestral {…}
Dvorak’s “Rusalka,” which premiered back on March 31, 1901, is among the most popular Czech operas in the standard repertoire. Unbeknownst to many, the work was not actually an adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Little Mermaid or “Undine” by Friedrich de la Motte Fouqué. In fact, librettist Jaroslav Kvapil based his libretto on the work of Karel Jaromir Erben {…}
Tchaikosvky’s “Eugene Onegin” is considered one of the composer’s greatest operas as it features some of his richest melodies and is based on Pushkin’s famous poem. The work has been performed extensively around the world and this year it makes a return to the Metropolitan Opera. While the title role has been a vehicle for many renowned baritones it is {…}
Donizetti’s “Anna Bolena” returns to the stage of the Teatro alla Scala after an absence of 35 years and with it comes a new leading lady, Hibla Gerzmava. Gerzmava, who has become an international star, is making a role debut in one of Bel Canto most demanding operas. Gerzmava has sung many Bel Canto roles by Donizetti including “Lucia di Lammermoor” {…}
A lot of opera stars have dogs. From Franco Zeffirelli to Ailyn Pérez to Elza Von den Heever, the canine is a great companion for the opera star as they travel around the world. Here is a look at some of the most famous dogs in the history of opera, both past, and present as we celebrate National Puppy day. {…}
Mezzo-soprano Dolora Zajick is synonymous with Verdi. She’s been the leading Azucena at the Metropolitan Opera house over the last few years, singing the role a whopping 58 times since her debut on October 8, 1988, also in that very role. In Verdi’s “Aida,” she has performed the role of Amneris 80 times at the house. Throw in 17 performances {…}
