On February 6, 2021, “El Imperio de la Luz,” designed and co-created by Diego Barbosa-Vasquez won one of the prizes of the Innovation Competition at the Jacobs School of Music of Indiana University. The new work was built under the “Community Opera” concept which allows professionals, students, and community members a platform to perform opera together. The opera’s original text {…}
On March 30, 2021, Finger Lakes Opera Artistic Director and founder Gerard Floriano’s video podcast series, titled “Behind the Curtain,” returned for new episodes, featuring conversations with prominent American stage directors. The first episode saw Floriano in conversation with Fenlon Lamb, who was stage director for FLO’s productions of “La Traviata” and “Tosca.” Lamb is also the co-creator of Papermoon {…}
The Miller Theatre at Columbia University School of the Arts has announced the release of a trailer for its upcoming podcast series “Mission: Commission,” whetting the audience’s appetite for the series launch scheduled for Tuesday, April 13, and running on consecutive Tuesdays through May 18. The free six-episode podcast challenges three composers to create a newly commissioned work in just {…}
On April 25, audiences will be invited into the home of Adrienne Danrich for the third episode of the American Opera Project’s virtual series “Music as the Message,” titled “Our Stories ~ Our Voices.” Hosted by Danrich, the event will feature a cast of prominent black artists such as Chantal Braziel, James Harkness, Dr. Tiffany Jackson, and Joelle Lamarre. This {…}
Independent Opera Company is set to present a recital by Luke Norvell. The tenor will perform alongside Galina Barskaya on piano a selection of arias from “Rusalka,” “Faust,” and “La Traviata,” among others. Audiences can watch the stream starting March 28 and will be able to watch it thereafter on-demand until April 11. Tickets will be available on independentoperacompany.org. Norvell has {…}
The Barn Opera in Vermont has announced a production of Puccini’s “Tosca.” The production, which will be performed on August 18, 20, and 21, 2021, will be staged at the Isham Family Farm, Cedar Meadow, and Estabrook Park. “Tosca” will star Cailin Marcel Manson as Baron Scarpia, Andrea Chinedu Nwoke in the title role of Floria Tosca, Joshua Collier as Mario Cavaradossi, {…}
Pacific Opera Project has announced its next installment of revolutionary, pandemic-safe productions with Leonard Bernstein’s “Trouble in Tahiti.” The work will be performed live outdoors at the Heritage Square Museum in Los Angeles. The four, socially-distanced performances will be held on April 24 and 25, 2021 and audiences will be able to picnic and enjoy a bottle of wine in {…}
Cerise Jacobs’ activist opera company, White Snake Projects, is set to host three online events starting on March 30. The projects lead up to the premiere of a new virtual opera, “Death by Life.” The new opera examines the intersection of systemic racism and mass incarceration and was conceived as a monument of support for Black Lives Matter. The events {…}
(Credit: Chris Randle / City Opera Vancouver) On March 26, City Opera Vancouver released the comic cantata “Perruqueries” on the company’s YouTube channel. Composed by Jocelyn Morlock to Bill Richardson’s libretto, the video work explores wigs and the people who wear them. Viewing is free. Storied wig-wearers Bobby Hull, Andy Warhol, and Galina Vishnevskaya, among others, get combed over in {…}
Opera Maine has announced that it will be returning to the Merrill Auditorium for live performances this July. On July 16 and 18, OM’s Studio Artists will present Kimberly Reed, Laura Kaminsky, and Mark Campbell’s opera “As One.” Directed by Studio Artists Director Richard Gammon, the production will also feature two voices accompanied by The Palaver String Quartet and is {…}
Calgary Opera has announced the first installment of its new documentary film series, meant to give audiences a behind-the-scenes view into the creation of new operas being produced through their inaugural Opera Labs project. The first, on March 24, will be “The Seeds of Namwayut,” which follows the creation process of the upcoming, Indigenous-themed work “Namwayut.” Led by mezzo-soprano Marion {…}