No one ever pretended that opera was a cheap art form. As an extreme example, the Salzburg Festival has a budget of over 60 million euros for just six weeks, making its balance sheet the envy of several small Pacific island states. But even in countries with an immense musical patrimony such as Italy, there is a tendency for populist {…}
We go to Mahler for wisdom and depth and to Elina Garanca for beauty and rich interpretation. Both were present Sunday morning at the Wiener Konzerthaus. The Wiener Philharmoniker, conducted by the dynamic Venezuelan conductor, Raphael Payare, book-ended Mahler’s “Funf Lied (Five Ruckert Songs),” plus one song from “Der Knaben Wunderhorn,” with Beethoven’s Leonore Overture and Bartok’s Concerto For Orchestra. {…}
“El Juego De Los Insectos” has finally had its premiere at the Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City. The work was composed in 2008 and it took eight years to have the large scale, full orchestra production. The opera, by composer Federico Ibarra, was created in 2007-08 with a libretto by Verónica Musalem, based on the “Ze života hmyzu {…}
The word “Bohemian” – much like the popular terms “retro,” “Goth,” or “vintage” – is yet another label that has offered countless inferences over a plethora of different times. The “Bohème” clique of Puccini, undercut by the whimsy and exuberance of Italian verismo, would contrast with a play rendition of its source, Henri Murger’s “Scènes de la Vie de Bohème.” {…}
Verdi made two distinct versions of “Don Carlos” plus a number of smaller-scale revisions. The original 1866 version written in French, was altered before its premiere, mainly for logistical reasons, as it was considered to be too long. The Italian version, written in 1884, with its Italian title “Don Carlo” contained extensive changes, most notably its reduction from five to {…}
The Metropolitan Opera’s Summer Recital Series started off on a high note on June 11, 2018. Audience members gathered in Central Park on a cool and cloudless evening that was filled with selections from operas both old and new, to be sung by some of the company’s most promising young talent. Baritone Joshua Hopkins began the evening with “Largo al {…}
What endures of Zurich Opera’s performance of Lehár’s “Das Land des Lachelns” is Piotr Beczala. Never did we fail to hear the clear, clean line of his clarion sound; never did we fail to feel his full and steady presence on stage. While outside, swans and an array of boats dotted Lake Zurich and strollers savored assorted ice creams, inside, {…}
Sir Anthony Hopkins is a world-famous actor who also happens to be a gifted composer. Despite his considerable musical skills, he has made it quite clear that he is unqualified to direct an opera. In Poland, Andrzej Chyra enjoys A-list celebrity status as a one of the country’s foremost film and television actors. He is also probably partial to the {…}
This review is for the performance on June 8, 2018. This year’s Opera Fest has seen a number of fresh and highly inventive works. David Hertzberg’s “The Rose Elf” offers an immersive, and almost unbearably-intimate recount of Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale. Staged within the catacombs of Brooklyn’s Green-Wood Cemetery, the audience seated themselves on opposite sides of the long {…}