To close their 2020-2021 season, the Opéra de Monte-Carlo has presented a new production of Mussorgsky’s “Boris Godunov,” mounted in collaboration with Opéra Grand Avignon. Monaco has long resounded with the strains of this opera, in part because of the prominent Russian presence on the Côte d’Azur from Mussorgsky’s time to today. Most notably, the work was performed at the Opéra {…}
Every Friday, Polina Lyapustina delivers a short essay on some of the most essential topics in the industry with the intent of establishing a dialogue about the opera world and its future. Over the last few weeks, American theatres began to announce their plans for the new season. And suddenly, for the audience, which is still a bit preoccupied with domestic issues {…}
(Photo: Finn Hackshaw) Every Friday, Polina Lyapustina delivers a short essay on some of the most essential topics in the industry with the intent of establishing a dialogue about the opera world and its future. Last week, like many people in Italy, I wondered if the country would switch to a yellow zone and public events and outdoor cafes would be allowed {…}
Opus Arte, the label which records the performances of The Royal Opera House, has released the second recording of Sir David McVicar’s production of “Faust” (the first DVD was released in 2010 from the premiere of this production in 2004). The production, from 2018, features a luxury cast of singers in what is probably the best production of “Faust” in {…}
Four electro-acoustic compositions, united by the vocals and unique musical approach of Uruguayan-born American composer Sergio Cervetti, make up his ninth album “Mortal Dreams” with Navona Records. Born 80 years ago with a career spanning more than half a century and over 100 compositions made for the concert stage, dance, theater, and film, the composer is best known and most {…}
Every Friday, Polina Lyapustina delivers a short essay on some of the most essential topics in the industry with the intent of establishing a dialogue about the opera world and its future. This week, many of you, I guess, got a chance to watch then new production of “Parsifal” staged by Kirill Serebrennikov at the Wiener Staatsoper. I also got a chance {…}
(Photo: Benoit Auguste) Marco Angioloni is a young Italian tenor currently living in Paris. After graduating as an oboist from the Conservatorio Di Musica ‘Luigi Cherubini’ Firenze in Florence, Angioloni switched to singing and joined the Centre de Musique Baroque de Versailles in France. Since then he has performed on stages across Europe, tending to specialise in the baroque repertoire. {…}
Throughout its history, the $244.4 billion film industry, has relied heavily on historical embellishment for its “narrative spice,” these choices often creating ethical challenges. For example, despite being crowned Best Picture at the 2013 Oscar Awards, the harrowing film “Argo,” a tale about the ersatz American film crew tasked with saving six captive Americans from Iran, is chock-full of historical {…}
Opera Australia’s annual Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour returned this year after last year’s Covid-enforced hiatus with a re-staging by Constantine Costi of the production of “La Traviata” by Francesca Zambello which, back in 2012, launched this Sydney institution. How a venue brings out different qualities in a familiar work is one of the fascinating aspects of theatrical performance traditions. {…}