Q & A: Baritone Hadi Alibeigli on Opera in Iran & His Dreams For His Country

Opera is forbidden in Iran. For years, Opera has been banned in the country despite palpable progress that saw the opera house open in 2013 for a production of “Gianni Schicchi” and the reopening of the opera house in 2015. There was even an all-women’s production of “Carmen.” But for opera singers who continue to pursue this artform in Iran, {…}

Mar 28, 2020

One in a Million: Soprano Vuvu Mpofu’s Fascinating Story of Opera Success

(Credit: Gerard Collett) On the eastern side of the Cape of Good Hope, at the very tip of South Africa, sits Port Elizabeth, a city with a population just shy of one million people. The population size matters because it makes soprano Vuvu Mpofu one in a million, a ratio perhaps not unlike the shot she had at making it {…}

Mar 21, 2020

Q & A: Soprano Sarah Vautour on Life as a Young Artist, Inspirations, Future Projects

Over the last few years, Sarah Vautour has been slowly but surely making herself a major force in the Los Angeles Opera scene. The soprano has been a young artist at the Colburn-Stein Young Artist Program since 2018 making her debut with the LA Opera under the baton of James Conlon and taking on the role of Papagena in “The {…}

Mar 17, 2020

Q & A: Soprano Maria Maksakova On Developing Her Voice While Supporting Young Artists

Russian soprano Maria Maksakova has led a storied life in the performing arts. Coming from a family of prominent artists, Maksakova performed with leading Russian theaters such as the Bolshoi Theatre, Mariinsky Theatre, Helikon Opera; internationally, she has sung on stages in Tokyo, Vienna, London, Helsinki, and Baden-Baden. On the screen, Maksakova has served as a TV presenter and co-host {…}

Mar 16, 2020

Q & A: Soloman Howard On Singing The Ring Cycle & the Lyric Opera of Chicago

(Credit: Jon Adjahoe) ***Editorial Note – This interview was conducted as part of series of interviews dedicated to previewing the Lyric Opera of Chicago’s Ring Cycle. Unfortunately, that performance was canceled, but out of respect to the time put into this project by the artists and organizations, we will endeavor to publish the over coming days and weeks.(Given the context, {…}

Mar 15, 2020

Renaissance Woman – Huda I. Alkhamis-Kanoo, Founder of Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Foundation, On Bringing Cultures Together Through Music

It was the afternoon following the Metropolitan Opera’s premiere of “Der Fliegende Holländer,” that I met a glowing Huda I. Alkhamis-Kanoo, the founder of the Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Foundation (ADMAF) and the Abu Dhabi Festival. The Abu Dhabi Festival was one of four organizations co-producing the Met’s “Dutchman,” the other three being the Metropolitan Opera, L’Opéra de Québec, {…}

Mar 14, 2020

Q & A: Soprano Emma Bell on Lyric vs. Dramatic Roles, Interpreting ‘Vanessa’ & ‘Fidelio’

(Credit: Paul Foster-Williams) In recent seasons, British soprano Emma Bell has developed her repertoire, moving from the Mozart heroines, with which she established her career, to the key dramatic roles of Wagner and Beethoven. She has performed at the Teatro alla Scala, Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Metropolitan Opera House, Bayerische Staatsoper, Staatsoper Hamburg, Deutsche Oper Berlin, among others. OperaWire {…}

Mar 8, 2020

Q & A: Francesco Lanzillotta on Rossini, Musical Styles & His Future

Italian conductor Francesco Lanzillotta is considered one of today’s most “interesting conductors” having performed a vast repertoire that ranges from Mozart to contemporary music. He has been the Music Director in Varna, and is currently the Music Director of the Macerata Opera Festival in Italy. As he continues to expand his repertoire, he is also becoming one of the most {…}