(Credit: Victor Santiago) This past week, Francesco Meli made his role debut as “Otello” in Verdi’s masterpiece. It marked his 18th Verdi role and a return to the Venice house where has sung many of those Verdi works. But in the run-up to the premiere of the opera, Meli’s comments in an interview with Il Giornale became the center of {…}
Content Warning: There is some explicit language in the content of this article. On August 6, the head of the Slovak National Theatre, Matej Drlička, was informed of his dismissal by an officer from the Ministry of Culture. He was one of the many directors who were dismissed by the new Minister alleging Drlička had criticized her ministry and had {…}
(Credit: Yan-Bleney) Born in Montreal, Étienne Dupuis has established himself as one of the most distinguished baritones of his generation. Amongst his wide-ranging repertoire, he is especially in demand for Verdi roles. In the 2023-24 season, Étienne made a series of role debuts: as Don Carlo di Vargas in “La forza del destino” at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, {…}
(Photo credit: Louis Chan / David Allen) What does the future look like for female directors in opera? Opera San José, the opera company in the heart of Silicon Valley, California, now entering its 41st season, gives OperaWire a look at two young trailblazers: the current CEO and General Director, Shawna Lucey, and Michelle Ainna Cuizon, presently in residence and {…}
(Credit: © Clara Evens) On Oct. 11, Rachel Fenlon made history with her debut album on Orchid Classics, becoming the first ever to sing and accompany herself in Schubert’s masterpiece “Winterreise” on recording. Fenlon has self-accompanied herself at prestigious festivals and venues such as Fundación Juan March, the Oxford Lieder Festival, Festival de Lanaudière, Martha Argerich Festival Hamburg, Ottawa Chamberfest, National {…}
(Photo Credit: Lena Fainberg) Born in Russia, mezzo-soprano Vasilisa Berzhanskaya is a graduate of the Russian Gnesin Academy of Music in Moscow and a former member of the Youth Opera Program at the Bolshoi Theatre. Her repertoire encompasses roles of the Italian bel canto of Rossini and Bellini, Mozart, Baroque music such as Vivaldi and Purcell, and roles from Russian {…}
(Photo: Michele Monasta) Vincenzo Costanzo is one of the most promising and highly regarded young tenors on the world opera scene. Born in 1991, he joined the children’s voice choir of the San Carlo Theater in Naples at the age of six, where he made his debut as a soloist at only 11-years-old in a contemporary opera. From a very {…}
(Credit: Casey Kringlen) Over the years, Yuval Sharon has amassed an “unconventional body of work” that has challenged opera norms. He is the founder and co-artistic Director of The Industry in Los Angeles and the Artistic Director of Detroit Opera. He has published reviews and has directed operas at the Bayreuth Festival, Komishce Oper Berlin, Curtis Opera Theatre, and the {…}
(Photo Credit: Frances Marshall, Marshall Light studios / Sara Porter) The Ring Cycle is a massive undertaking, one that requires an opera company with a built-in infrastructure to do it. But it is also the peak of opera production and one that every director / manager dreams of doing. So despite, the massive challenge it entailed, Regents Opera’s artistic director {…}