Minnesotans craving more opera will have their prayers answered when the Skylark Opera Theatre reopens its doors this coming February. After a brief hiatus last year, the organization, which has been around for over 35 years is making a return with “The Tragedy of Carmen.” The work is a reimagined take of George Bizet’s classic opera “Carmen.” The adaptation is {…}
The Arizona Opera has announced its 2017-18 season. The company announced that it will present five operas and will open the season with “Hercules Vs. Vampires.” The opera will star Arizona opera’s 201617 studio artist Katrina Galka, Stephanie Sanchez, and Zachary Owen. The show will combine operatic singing and 1960’s pop culture, synchronizing live music with the 1961 cult classic film. There will {…}
Running a family business is a tricky proposition. Running an opera company might be even harder. Combining the two into one requires some form of genius. That has been the accomplishment of Michael Spierman, who set out on a dream alongside other colleagues to salvage operatic culture in the Bronx. The fruit of that dream, the Bronx Opera flourished and {…}
The Island City Opera in San Francisco will host an open rehearsal of its upcoming production of Gaetano Donizetti’s exuberant comedy Don Pasquale. The rehearsal will take place on Jan. 7 and showcase the company as it prepares to open its third season. But for opera goers expecting to see a fully staged production, audiences should be prepared to hear {…}
Amore Opera is back in full swing as the company puts out two productions to close out the year. The company will bring back Strauss’ “Die Fledermaus” on Dec. 27 through Jan. 1, 2017 after presenting the work on Dec. 17 and 18. The new run of performances will start at 7:30 p.m. EST every single day of the week {…}
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 {…}
Carlisle Floyd’s “Prince of Players” is coming to New York at the little Opera theater of ny (LOTNY) this February at Hunter College. The work follows Edward Kynaston, a famous Shakespearean actor who is know for taking on female roles in the Bard’s plays during the 17th Century. However, when King Charles II allows women to perform and forbids men {…}
This review is for the final performance of the run on Dec. 18, 2017 and was written in collaboration with Francisco Salazar. How do you get younger audiences to engage with that “old” and “outdated” art form known as opera? That is the eternal question for the major opera houses around the world as they look to find a viable {…}
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 {…}
On Dec. 17 Amore Opera will open its new production of Strauss’ “Die Fledermaus.” The company will feature two back-to-back performances and from Dec. 27 through the 31 the company will perform five back-to-back performances, including a gala on New Year’s Eve. The cast will include Michael Ciuffitelli as Eisenstein and Haley Vick as Adele. Douglass Martin will conduct the {…}
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 {…}
