“A lot of the time it’s just like jumping off a cliff because you don’t know how it’s going to go,” said Kimberly Feltkamp, the general manager of OperaRox Productions in a recent conversation with OperaWire. “I didn’t conceive of it as a company when I started it,” Feltkamp added. But strong reception to her initial project with OperaRox in 2015 {…}
On March 16, 2017, President Donald Trump formally released his outline for the 2018 Federal Budget, officially making clear his intent to defund numerous agencies and projects while investing billions into the already well-funded military complex. Among the agencies getting the boot was the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), which provides tremendous support for numerous arts organizations. As noted {…}
American history will forever be marked by its atrocities committed during the era of slavery. That wound remains at the forefront of our world today, even as the nation has made “progress.” Today we continue to see acts of racist violence in both outrageous and more subtle ways. Given this context, the need for conversation is at its utmost and {…}
Anton Coppola is the luckiest guy in the world. At least that is how he views the life he has led and continues to lead. The maestro, born on March 21, 1917, and who determined his given career path during the first decade of his existence, is slated for “one last hurrah” when he conducts a final concert on March {…}
Back in 1933, with the Great Depression in full swing, famed Hollywood director George Cukor released a small film called “Dinner at Eight.” Starring Lionel and John Barrymore, Marie Dressler and Jean Harlow among others, the film established the cataclysmic world event in a very intimate setting. The film became a cult classic in ensuing decades and a new version {…}
Rain was pouring down for miles while composer Craig Bohmler was on a drive through the mountain region outside Phoenix. Everywhere he looked, visibility was low and he knew that due to the strong monsoon winds, staying out in this weather was probably not a wise proposition. He eventually stopped at “the second light.” “It’s important to note that it {…}
“You can write an opera about anything. Someone told me to write an opera about a telephone catalogue and I said sure. There are so many stories you could probably find. Of course that wouldn’t be easy at all but if you have a crazy idea, there is always a way out of it. It just makes you work harder. {…}
Opera history has shown that some librettist-composer teams are matches made in heaven. Such was the case with Da Ponte and Mozart or Verdi and Boito (and Piave) or even Puccini and Giacosa and Illica. The same can be said for Jonathan Moore and Stewart Copeland. The duo has worked together throughout the years and they are back at it {…}
Ramon Tebar is an up-and-coming conductor who has worked with some of the most acclaimed artists in the classical music world including Roberto Alagna, Joshua Bell, Montserrat Caballe, Joseph Calleja, Gautier Capucon, Plácido Domingo, Angela Gheorghiu, Maria Guleghina, Ben Heppner and Renata Scotto. Aside from his work with these legendary artists Tebar keeps a hectic schedule as he is the {…}
How do you create an image that captures the essence of a person? That is the constant question that photographer Dario Acosta always questions when he is shooting a singer in his New York studio. “Ideally I don’t want to be a part of that world. I want you to look at the photo and not think I was there. {…}
Robert Neu was not expecting to be named the new artistic director of the Skylark Opera Theatre. But sure it was hard to not see it coming. The company announced the director’s new position as part of unveiling its new season, which will feature two new productions of opera staples. “Not only does Bob bring us extensive directing and production {…}
