The Vivaldi Edition from Naïve Records is now entering the 21st year of its incredible plan to record all of Vivaldi’s music, which is held in the National Library in Turin. It is a project much-loved by Vivaldi and Baroque enthusiasts the world over, and continues to grow in popularity with each new recording welcomed with baited breath, not least {…}
(Credit: Linda Rabisch) When COVID-19 struck in March 2020, one of the final “live” performances to take the stage was a production of Dvořák’s “Rusalka” in Krefeld, Germany with dramatic soprano Dorothea Herbert in the title role. For her, the experience was surreal. “We performed on that night in a totally empty theater. There was no audience, just the darkness {…}
(Credit: Shawn Harris, San Francisco, CA) Composer Pamela Z and theatre artist Geoff Sobelle’s “Times3 (Times x Times x Times)” is PROTOTYPE’s fourth iteration of “Out of Bounds,” a platform for new vocal performance pieces taking place in unlikely locations throughout New York. This multidimensional sonic experience is a site-specific journey through Times Square that calls to mind the importance {…}
The MET Orchestra, one of the greatest in the world, is in jeopardy. Read that again. The MET Orchestra, one of the greatest in the world, is in jeopardy. That’s not just an opinion. As reported in multiple news outlets, including this one, none other than the iconic conductor, Maestro Riccardo Muti, unequivocally stated just that. In his letter dated {…}
As the Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor of the Austin Opera, Timothy Myers has had one of the most difficult years of his life. Last year, 2020, left a mark on the operatic industry that forced many leaders to make difficult decisions and rethink the way the entire business of opera worked. As a result, Myers is taking the time {…}
Becca Conviser, founder and director of the innovative young artist program Opernfest Prague (OFP), is a remarkable young industry influencer. In four short years Conviser has built up a program like no other. At the end of an intense week of instruction and coaching, OFP Fellows perform house auditions, backed by a full orchestra, in front of theater chiefs from {…}
Handel’s “Messiah” is ubiquitous with the holiday season. Everywhere you look, opera companies and major choral ensembles are revving up to showcasing this towering masterpiece. Even the pandemic has not slowed down the tradition, with companies turning to unique approaches to the work as a means of sustaining the holiday spirit. Then there’s the “Messiah Complex,” a collaboration between Against {…}
On Dec. 3, 2020, Opera San José will present an innovative fully staged production of Jake Heggie’s vibrant modern opera, “Three Decembers” via streaming. The production will include Maya Kherani, Efraín Solís, and Susan Graham and was filmed at Opera San José’s Heiman Digital Studio following all safety regulations. At the head of the production was General Director Khor Dastoor, {…}
When the world of opera speaks of its development into the future, that evolution usually centers on conversations taking place in traditional opera settings, including Europe and North America. But the Middle East has not often been a major focal point of that conversation. Paolo Petrocelli, author of “The Evolution of Opera Theatre in the Middle East and North Africa” {…}
Credit: Froede Wendelbo Swedish-American composer Matthew Peterson is an independent and vital voice in the new opera world. He studied at Gotland School of Music Composition, Indiana University School of Music, and St. Olaf College. Just as his education is varied, this composer’s music defies categorization and encompasses many different genres. His dynamic, socially relevant true-crime opera “Voir Dire (To {…}
In August, the Merola Opera Program named Carrie-Ann Matheson the new Artistic Director succeeding Sheri Greenawald. Her new position will provide artistic and musical leadership for all Opera Center artists and projects, including acting as the primary musical coach for its young artists, overseeing their development, collaborating on recitals, and conducting performances. Matheson began her career at the Metropolitan Opera, {…}