A Baroque opera with a goddess riding a flying pig and a sea-god in a submarine? These were just some of the unexpected combinations that you could see if you went to the Opéra de Versailles’ new production of “Ercole Amante.” This co-production of the Opéra National de Bordeaux and the Opéra Comique was performed five times in Paris where {…}
On December 5, 2019, Talents of the World held the grand finals for their third International Voice Competition. Sixteen finalists from across the competition’s regions came together before a panel of judges, comprised of Talents of the World’s directors as well as prominent artistic managers. The opening remarks were delivered by company artistic director Olga Lisovskaya, dedicating this competition to {…}
(Credit: Ellen Wallop/Asia Society) Since its inception, opera has shifted its focus from gods and kings to the more common and middle class folk. But the domestic worker, while making appearances, is almost never at the core of its stories. “Mila,” an opera presented by the Hong Kong Arts Development Council and the Asia Society on Dec. 7, 2019 in {…}
“The Queen of Spades” is a truly challenging opera to cast, relying on a top tenor that can navigate a complex role. Flanking him are a plethora of other signature roles for two baritones, two mezzo-sopranos, and a soprano. Finally, a good performance of “The Queen of Spades” doesn’t just feature solid singing, but an overall visual immersion that can {…}
(Credit: Miguel Lorenzo/Mikel Ponce) Renowned opera star Plácido Domingo returned Valencia’s Palau de les Arts to great success with audiences jumping to their feet at the close of the night and raining down confetti on him. It hasn’t been an easy few months for the famed artist, but despite the controversy surrounding him, he looked as calm as ever onstage, {…}
(Credits: W. Hoesl) “A single dream is more powerful than a thousand realities.” J.R.R. Tolkien We all dream. About a better world, a better life, pure happiness. But a man who has suffered the loss cannot be carefree anymore, even in the illusional life. Forced to live in a world where his sweetest dreams always turn into his worst nightmares, {…}
This review is for the performance on Nov. 15 and 21, 2019. A common complaint of the current age is that, despite our cell phones and social media profiles, humanity is lonelier and less connected than ever before. Newspapers warn of a “loneliness epidemic,” think pieces term it a “social cancer,” and streams of articles comment on topics such as {…}
(Credit: Catherine Ashmore) David McVicar’s new production of Britten’s late masterpiece “Death in Venice” is a brooding and elusive meditation on the tribulations of aging creativity and its relationship to death and desire. Peter Pears confided that “Ben is writing an evil opera, and it is killing him,” which no doubt prompts cured autobiographical readings of the work. But here {…}
(Photo Credit: Kevin Yatarola) On November 26, 2019, Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall was host to the latest iteration of its Great Performers series. This installment saw Czech mezzo-soprano Magdalena Kožená joined by a number of distinguished artists, including Simon Rattle, violinists Giovanni Guzzo and Rahel Maria Rilling, violist Amihai Grosz, cellist David Adorjan, flutist Kaspar Zehnder and clarinetist Andrew {…}