Ash Lawn Opera Becomes Charlottesville Opera on 40th Anniversary Season

Ash Lawn Opera will become Charlottesville Opera in 2017. Charlottesville, Virginia’s premier opera company for the past 40 years decided to change its name after significant growth. The company, which began in 1978 as a summer festival for local singers presenting opera in the boxwood garden of Ash Lawn-Highland has became an integral part of the Charlottesville downtown scene. After years of performing {…}

Preview: Arizona Opera Set to World Premiere Western ‘Riders of the Purple Sage’ in February 2017

Cowboys, sunsets and the grandeur of the American western will grace Arizona Opera this February, when the company world premieres “Riders of the Purple Sage.” Based on the classic novel by Zane Grey, the opera tells the story of the unconventional relationship between a devout Mormon and a vengeful cowboy. The work explores themes such as women’s rights, vigilante justice {…}

Q & A: Music Director Sean Kelly on ‘Macbeth’ & Why New Yorkers Love LoftOpera

LoftOpera’s “Macbeth” has garnered tremendous reviews for its fantastic casting, nuanced production and brilliant music-making. “The crisp orchestral playing of the orchestra under the baton of Sean Kelly was highlighted by an atmospheric account of the first act prelude, with portentous horn fanfares seeming to “hang” forever in the vast space’s cavernous acoustic,” wrote the New York Observer. Despite being {…}

New York City Opera Adds 4 Performances of Leonard Bernstein’s ‘Candide’ Due to Popular Demand

The New York City Opera has just added four performances to its upcoming run of Leonard Bernstein’s “Candide,” citing popular demand. The opera was originally scheduled for performances from January 6 through 12, but four additional presentations have from Jan. 13-15. The opera will be directed by legendary director Harold Prince, best known for his work on Broadway where he {…}