On Sept. 18, Opera Philadelphia world premiered “The Wake World” as part of its 2017 festival. Composer David Hertzberg created an immersive experience that was showcased at the Barnes Foundation and that experimented with form and melody. As one of Opera Philadelphia’s 2017-2018 Composers-in-Residence, in a program offered in collaboration with Music-Theatre Group, Hertzberg will continue to be an active {…}
Orson Welles is one of the most fascinating figures of the past century, his art among the most influential of all time. But one of the things few people know about Welles is that he was as much concerned about process as he was about the final result. In fact, some of his films, most notably “F for Fake” examines {…}
It was 2013 and Suzanne Vinnik was contacted by soprano Zulimar López, who was looking to solve a problem that every female opera singer faces – getting rid of a bunch of gowns that were hogging her closet space. “I had also experienced the same issue with my over-stuffed closet in my one bedroom apartment on the Upper West Side,” Vinnik told {…}
For any composer, the first opera is always a tall order and this was no different for Japanese composer Moto Osada. His first operatic work, “Four Nights of Dream,” was the latest in a number of major successes for a creator who has excelled in a wide range of genres, including film composition, television, dance, theater, and chamber music among {…}
In 2008, Moto Osada’s “Four Nights of Dream” had its World Premiere in Sweden. Fast-forward nine years and the opera is now on the brink of its first North American and Japanese debuts, in a new production. The man in charge of leading the new interpretation of the work is renowned Obie Award-winning director Alec Duffy, whose company Hoi Polloi has {…}
On Sept. 14, 2017, Opera Philadelphia will open “War Stories,” a double bill featuring Monetverdi’s “Il combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda” and Lembit Beecher’s “I Have No Stories to Tell You.” The pairing features two stories about war and their effects on their heroes. It is also a chance to see a classic baroque work juxtaposed with a modern work. Beecher {…}
The much-anticipated opening of the Met Opera’s 2017-2018 season is one month away. Beginning this weekend, the company begins warming up its audience with outdoor, HD transmissions of previous productions. As the audience stares at the facade of America’s most beloved opera house, they might also be wondering, “What’s going on while the Met is dark all summer?” Dance Director {…}
“Rhoda and the Fossil Hunt” is set to make its world premiere at the American Museum of Natural History on September 23, 2017, in the Hall of Saurischian Dinosaurs. With this unorthodox venue specifically in mind, accomplished composer John Musto, librettist Eric Einhorn, and production company On Site Opera, all seek to create an experience for families that weds together {…}
Have you ever wondered what it would look like to view some of the world’s most renowned opera houses from center stage? Wonder no longer. New York-based fine arts photographer David Leventi’s 120-page book “OPERA” answers this question in stunning color and detail. The son of architects, he photographed the auditoriums of nearly 50 opera houses in the United States and {…}
Being a general and artistic director for any opera company is quite a massive challenge. Especially a growing one like the Atlanta Opera. Now imagine giving yourself another massive job on top of such, say director of three productions for your upcoming season. Most people would balk at the proposition, but not Tomer Zvulun who is not only running the {…}
This weekend, Dvorak’s “Dimitrij” premieres at the Bard Summerscape. The opera is being staged in the U.S. for the first time by director Anne Bogart, a Bard graduate. She has directed numerous opera productions including Bizet’s “Carmen” and Verdi’s “Macbeth” at the Glimmerglass Festival and has also helmed Bellini’s “Norma” with the Washington National Opera. Her theater work has been {…}