“L’Orfeo” debuted in 1607, as Capt. John Smith sailed across the Atlantic to found a settlement in Jamestown, Virginia. It is the oldest opera in the repertoire. So for it to have an American premiere of any sort in 2017 is remarkable. But on Saturday, July 8th, 2017, the Respighi orchestration of Monteverdi’s version of the tale of Orpheus and {…}
Tucked away in the Legendary Greenwich Village gay bar, Stonewall, the New York premiere of “Sweets by Kate” was being held. The opera was not only making a New York premiere but it was also the first opera with lesbian protagonists to be shown at the historic LGBT monument. OperaRox Productions, an underground, indie opera company founded by mezzo-soprano Kim Feltkamp, {…}
“Aida” is one of the most complex operas in the repertory as it has demanding music that requires singers with immense voices that can also create riveting portrayals of deeply emotional and complex beings. However, it seems like most opera companies nowadays use this opera as a fan favorite and present it in routine productions that look like they are {…}
Mozart’s “Le Nozze di Figaro” is considered a masterpiece on all levels, musically and dramatically. But it is also an opera that is incredibly complicated to stage. A production needs great singing actors who meet the demands that Mozart and da Ponte required. Luckily, the Prague Summer Nights lined up a cast that was very well directed by Maria Zouves {…}
Bellini’s pastoral opera “La Sonnambula” made a welcome return to La Fenice, in a revival of Bepi Morassi’s 2012, widely-acclaimed production. In this outing, conducted by Fabrizio Maria Carminati, Irina Dubrovskaya played the role of Amina, with Shalva Mukeria as Elvino and Roberto Scandiuzzi as Rodolfo. The minor roles were undertaken by Julie Mellor as Teresa, Silvia Frigato as Lisa {…}
If you surveyed the most recent 1,000 opera reviews, “testosterone” would not be one of the top hits. Unless you were Googling the Des Moines Metro Opera’s new production of “Billy Budd,” which promises to be the hit of its 45th season. Energized by the transformative performance of Zachary James as the “villain” John Claggart, this story is about much {…}
The Prague Summer Nights kicked off its operatic selections on July 1, 2017, with a production of “Die Zauberflöte” with one major caveat. Due to renovations at the Estates Theater, the festival was forced to move all its opera productions and concerts to the St. Simons and Judes Church for this year’s festival. While it definitely limits the possibilities of {…}
Turandot is tricky. A huge chorus, thundering orchestra, and over half a dozen other principal singers build audience expectations for an act and a half before the star sings a note, and then, like a rocket, the soprano must go from zero to escape velocity with her dazzling introduction, her explanation for her cruelty to her suitors in the aria {…}
Jonas Kaufmann has been hailed as the greatest tenors alive and is one of the most exciting performers currently working today. So it was no surprise that he would one day take the iconic role of Verdi’s “Otello.” There were many doubters regarding his availability (or ability) to master the role, especially after many high-profile cancellations due to illness. However, {…}