(Credit: Colbert Artists Management) “My what?” James Morris, studying at the Academy of Vocal Arts (AVA) in Philadelphia, has received a phone call from his newly acquired agent at Sol Hurok management, an agent who had seen him perform elsewhere in the country and offered to represent him. Now, the agent has news: a date for Morris’ Met audition. The {…}
“At Home With… ” is a new series collaboration between OperaWire and photographer Frances Marshall of Marshall Light Studio, combining original photography with insightful interviews. In this second edition, OperaWire spoke with Stage Director, Julia Burbach. “Truth be told, I only realized that things were accelerating when I was in Iceland, rehearsing ‘Valkyrie.’ We were going to do a week {…}
On Dec. 4, Paola Prestini and Magos Herrera released “Con Alma,” an album recorded remotely between March and October 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. The new release features classic songs from the Mexican and Jazz songbook and over 30 musicians across three continents including the all-women German-based Ensemble Sjaella, Constellation Chor, the Young People’s Chorus of NYC, Mexico’s Orquesta Sinfónica {…}
(Credit: Adam Markowski) On Dec. 12, Andrea Bocelli performed a Christmas concert at the Teatro Regio di Parma entitled “Believe in Christmas.” It was an event that allowed people to watch the famed tenor’s artistry through a streamed performance. Bocelli invited special guests including Clara Barbier Serrano, a current student at the Royal College of Music. Serrano was named the {…}
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 {…}
(Credit: Tyler Golden) In October, countertenor John Holiday surprised the opera world in a big way. The Texas native who has performed with such companies as the Glimmerglass Festival, Los Angeles Opera, Dutch National Opera, Cincinnati Opera (and will make his Metropolitan Opera debut in 2021), performed in the blind auditions for hit TV show “The Voice.” Performing “Misty” by {…}
American singer Brian Giebler impresses with his light high-placed tenor and has established a career singing virtuosic and eclectic repertoire, focusing on Baroque and contemporary music, musical theatre, and new opera at once. An active crossover artist, dedicated to the changing landscape of new music, Giebler has performed with The English Concert, The Cleveland Orchestra, Boston Baroque, Boston Early Music Festival, Grand Rapids {…}
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” {…}