Q & A: Alexandre Dratwicki on Palazzetto Bru Zane, Clémence de Grandval’s ‘Mazeppa’ & Rediscovering Rare Works

Palazzetto Bru Zane has been on the forefront of the rediscovery and international promotion of the French musical heritage of the long nineteenth century. Its interests range from chamber music to the orchestral, sacred and operatic repertories, not forgetting the lighter genres characteristic of the ‘esprit français’ of the nineteenth century. Beginning in 2009, it has performed concerts and staged {…}

Q & A: Composer Jerod Impichchaachaaha’ Tate on His Journey, ‘Loksi’ Shaali,’ & Future Projects

 (Photo Credit: Shevaun Williams) Few voices in contemporary opera carry the weight of history quite like Jerod Impichchaachaaha’ Tate. A citizen of the Chickasaw Nation and one of the foremost Native American classical composers working today, Tate has spent decades building a singular artistic mission: to bring Indigenous culture, language, and storytelling to the world’s great stages. His catalog spans {…}

Q & A: Dawn Carroll on Mary Cardwell Dawson, Mystery Manor, & ‘If the Walls Could Talk’ 

Dawn Carroll is dedicated to helping revitalize the legacy of opera pioneer Mary Cardwell Dawson and helping preserve the historic National Negro Opera House (Mystery Manor) in Pittsburgh. Her mission ties into broader themes of historic preservation, mentorship, and education, inspiring future generations through music and educational initiatives – continuing Dawson’s legacy. Carroll, a stone designer and co-founder of the {…}

Q & A: OperAffinity Founder Breana Stillman on Working with Organization & Festival’s Future, Working with Refugees & How Music Creates Connection & Understanding

It was during her years working as an opera singer in Germany that Breana Stillman first encountered the transformative power of the art form beyond the stage, specifically through children’s choirs involved in opera productions. What she witnessed there, the musical growth, the exposure to languages and cultures, the discipline and sense of community it fostered in young people, planted {…}

O2 Trainer: How Bas Rutten Links Opera & the Art of Professional Fighting

(Photo: Bas Rutten) It’s hard to imagine what could possibly link the divine art of classical singing with the somewhat brutal (if noble) art of professional fighting. Bas Rutten, the legendary former MMA master and pioneer, UFC world heavyweight champion and ‘Hall of Famer,’ three-time ‘King of Pancrase’ world champion, kickboxer extraordinaire, self-defense expert, stuntman and Hollywood movie star will {…}

Q & A: Svetlana Aksenova on Contemporary Opera and the Psychological Depth of Her Characters

Svetlana Aksenova is a name that, in today’s operatic world, has become synonymous with a rare synthesis of flawless vocal command and confessional dramatic truth. A soprano from St. Petersburg, she trained at the Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory, where she first drew critical attention as a student with her performance of Tchaikovsky’s “Iolanta.” Aksenova belongs to that select category of artists often {…}