(Credit: Michele Crosera) The director for Teatro La Fenice’s production of Vivaldi’s “Farnace,” Christophe Gayral observed in his program notes that “the music for some of the arias is strangely sometimes not completely related to the narrative, the music is light while the situation is dark.” While this is undoubtedly true, it does not act against the work as a {…}
(Photo: Michele Monasta) The Greek gods are a colorful crowd, who enjoy nothing better than involving themselves in the world of Man. Woe betide anyone who is unfortunate enough to attract their attention, whether it be for good or ill; the gods act in their own interests, seeking pleasure and entertainment in all its forms wherever they can find them. {…}
(Image (c) Danny Kaan) Opera Holland Park features several collaborations thorughout its 2021 summer season, offering much-needed work to a myriad of freelancers from across the theatre world. Charles Court Opera will join OHP for a “Pirates of Penzance” in August; British Youth Opera will bring Rossini’s “L’occasione fa il ladro;” Waterperry Opera Festival are coming to town with a {…}
On June 28, Opera Italiana presented its annual concert at the Naumburg Bandshell, Central Park. This year was particularly special given it was the first live performance for the organization in over a year following the pandemic. As such, the concert was appropriately named “Rebirth” and paid homage to Enrico Caruso, who is celebrating his centennial this year. Additionally, this {…}
Photo Credit: Anna Barbera In this column, we’ve explored the sacred and the profane—from a song cycle of Psalms composed by Dvořák and performed by Elyse Anne Kakacek to a spoken-word recording reimagining the character of Salome. What’s missing? A good meal. In this installment of Off the Beaten Track, the off-menu special is “In Appetizing Portions,” a newly released {…}
(Photo: Adi Goldstein) 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. Another week passed, and the negotiations that the Met and International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees started with a supposed June 14 deadline to start the Met {…}
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(Photo: Birgit Gufler) Director Johannes Reitmeier brought the Tiroler Landestheater’s production of Britten’s “The Rape of Lucretia” to close with a question. “How was it possible?” was projected across the stage in large letters. Not only did this immediately encourage the audience to reflect on what they had witnessed and to attempt an answer, but it is also a question {…}
It was in 1969 when “Le convenienze ed inconvenienze teatrali,” by Gaetano Donizetti, was renamed “Viva la Mamma” for a series of performances in Munich— and since then, the name has stuck. The opera premiered as a one-act farce in Naples in 1827 and obtained great success. Donizetti presented the two-act version in Milan in 1831. But the opera then {…}