Q & A: Michael Fabiano on Being Self-Driven & His Responsibility as an Artist to Serve His Craft

(Photo: Diego Bendezu) Acclaimed American tenor Michael Fabiano, of Italian descent, has performed in leading opera houses throughout the world, including extensively at the Metropolitan Opera, San Francisco Opera, Teatro Real of Madrid, Berlin Staatsoper, Teatro Liceu, Vienna Staatsoper, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Royal Opera House in London, Teatro alla Scala in Milan, Teatro San Carlo in Naples, and Paris {…}

Mar 10, 2025

Q & A: Kristin Hoff On Being a Producer With an Artist’s Perspective & an Artist With a Producer’s Perspective

(Photo by Kevin Calixte) On February 11th, the Fondation Mécénat Musica for cultural philanthropy awarded the Prix Goyer for Collaborative Emerging Artists to the mezzo-soprano Kristin Hoff. The prize is valued at $125,000 CAD—the largest of its kind in Canada and one of the largest for artists in the world. Receiving an award for collaboration may seem unusual for an {…}

Mar 1, 2025

Q & A: Soprano Giselle Allen on ‘Der Fliegende Hollände’ & the Repertory She Prefers to Sing

(Photo: courtesy of Giselle Allen) Later this month, Irish National Opera will be staging a new production of Wagner’s “Der Fliegende Holländer,” conducted by Fergus Sheil and directed by Rachael Hewer, with baritone Jordan Shanahan as the Dutchman. OperaWire recently met up with the Northern Irish soprano, Giselle Allen, who is currently preparing for the role of Senta, to talk {…}

Feb 26, 2025

Q &A: Artists From The Czech Lieder Society Talk About Their New CD Recording Of Works By Sláva Vorlová

The Czech Lieder Society recently released “Songs,” an intriguing double CD of songs and piano pieces by Sláva Vorlová. It is unlikely that many reading this article will have heard her name or any of her works, yet during her lifetime (1894 – 1973) she was well-known and an influential composer. From an early age, Vorlová pursued an interest in {…}

Feb 25, 2025

Q & A: Daniel Oren on Conducting ‘Aida’ & What Makes a Great Conductor

(Photo: Ivano Buat) Internationally acclaimed conductor Daniel Oren is particularly recognized for his interpretations of Italian opera, especially works by Verdi, and is noted for his successful career at prestigious opera houses around the world. He has collaborated with conductors Herbert von Karajan and Franco Ferrara and was famously chosen by Leonard Bernstein to sing the role of the boy {…}

Feb 20, 2025

Q & A: Maria Natale on Portraying Judith in ‘Bluebeard’s Castle’

Opera San José is currently performing a production of “Bluebeard’s Castle” by Shawna Lucey. The new production features tons of easter eggs for the bride Judith and the audience to discover, including items from prior Opera San José productions like “The Marriage of Figaro,” “Tosca,” “Il Segreto,” and “Cinderella.” But the greatest discovery is likely to be Maria Natale. The {…}

Feb 12, 2025

Q & A: Riccardo Massi On ‘Aida’ & His Opera Career

(Credit: Angelo Contorno) Italian tenor Riccardo Massi has rapidly achieved international recognition as one of the most exciting and accomplished interpreters of the Italian spinto repertoire, earning accolades worldwide for his interpretations of Puccini’s and Verdi’s heroes. He has performed at the prestigious Italian theaters, Giuseppe Verdi Theatre and La Scala, alongside the Royal Opera House and the Metropolitan Opera {…}

Feb 11, 2025

Q & A: Kelley O’Connor on Performing Thomas Adès’ ‘America: A Prophecy’

(Photo Credit: Emma Kruch) Acclaimed mezzo-soprano recently debuted an expanded version of Thomas Adès’ “America: A Prophecy” with The Gewandhaus Orchestra under Andris Nelsons. Her other performances this season include Verdi’s “Requiem”and Anna in Berlioz’s monumental “Les Troyens”. OperaWire was glad for this opportunity to discuss with the mezzo-soprano both the modern and the classical roles in her repertoire. OperaWire: Hi Kelley — and thank you so much {…}

Feb 7, 2025

Q & A: Jakub Józef Orliński on #LetsBaRock & Creating a Crossover Album

In September, countertenor Jakub Józef Orliński released #LetsBaRock, a crossover album that experiments with baroque classics. The album showcases Orliński joining forces with pianist Aleksander Dębicz, as well as Polish pop musicians Marcin Ułanowski and Wojciech Gumińki, in a creation that synthesizes the sound of “the new baroque” with music by Händel, Purcell, Monteverdi, and Vivaldi. And throughout 2024, Orliński {…}

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