As Renée Fleming, “America’s Diva,” introduced the third to last piece in a program that ranged from Handel to Cantaloube to Harold Arlen, the beloved singer sighed deeply. It was a testament to the magic and beauty she had spun singing one of the standout numbers of her concert, “O mio babbino caro” from Puccini’s “Gianni Schicchi.” She sang the {…}
(Credit: Gregor Hohenberg / Sony Classical) When the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown the entire planet, the Metropolitan Opera was among the first companies to realize the potential of streaming operas to audiences worldwide. With its massive catalogue of opera recordings from both this century and the last, the company set out to present performances on a nightly basis. Other companies caught {…}
(Photo: Michele Crosera) Four months after La Fenice closed its doors, opera has once again returned to its stage, albeit not necessarily in a form that one normally associates with a traditional opera house. The regulations aimed at containing the spread of COVID 19 mean that Italian theatres, cinemas, and other public performance spaces must comply with stringent restrictions, which {…}
(Credit: Javier del Real) (This review is for the performance on July 4, 2020) After 90 days of closure, the Teatro Real de Madrid reopened on July 1 with a semi-staged production of “La Traviata.” With the theater at half capacity due to the social distancing protocols instituted, the atmosphere on opening night was enthusiastic and hopeful. The Teatro Real {…}
“What could Mahler’s ‘Das Lied von der Erde’ might mean for the people gathered in a beautiful inner yard of Alma Mater Vilnensis on this hot summer evening?” These were my thoughts as I entered the yard of Vilnius University. “Would it inspire them? Would it hit?” That night would be the first large scale classical music event in Vilnius {…}
On Thursday, May 14th, Heartbeat Opera presented its seventh of 22 “Lady M,” Virtual Soirées.” The soirées which have, for the time being, supplanted the company’s staged re-imagining of Verdi’s “Macbeth,” having been such a hit that an additional 14 were added after selling out the originally slated 18. The extra meet-ups are scheduled for late-May through early-June. Be glad more {…}
The Metropolitan Opera’s At-Home Gala was one of the most hotly anticipated performances of the first half of 2020; one might argue that given its sheer star power, the showcase, which was announced just two weeks ago, was more anticipated than any performance the Met had lined up as part of its regular season. While the Met initially reneged on {…}
With the world in the grip of a pandemic that has shuttered opera houses around the globe, composers, librettists, directors, and singers are exploring new ways to connect with audiences and explore technology. With disruption comes innovation, and the spirit of invention took hold of composer Kamala Sankaram, librettist Rob Handel, and HERE Arts Center artistic director Kristin Marting, inspiring {…}
On March 14, 2020, Mercury Opera concluded its run of Puccini’s timeless “La Boheme.” Due to the situation regarding the spread of COVID-19, this production was offered up via live stream; this review is the result of that viewing experience. This production translated the drama into the relatively-modern setting of New York City in 1979, in a time when the {…}