Q & A: Carrie-Ann Matheson on Salzburg Festival, Europe & Her New Position at the Merola Opera Program

In August, the Merola Opera Program named Carrie-Ann Matheson the new Artistic Director succeeding Sheri Greenawald. Her new position will provide artistic and musical leadership for all Opera Center artists and projects, including acting as the primary musical coach for its young artists, overseeing their development, collaborating on recitals, and conducting performances. Matheson began her career at the Metropolitan Opera, {…}

Nov 6, 2020

Q & A: John Osborn on ‘I Puritani,’ Hopes & Fears In COVID-19 World

(Credit: Matilde Fasso) ***Note – this interview was conducted many weeks prior to the recent regulations imposed throughout Spain that have effectively forced many theaters, including the Ópera de Oviedo, to alter their schedules. Over the course of his 27-year career, American Tenor John Osborn has been distinguished as one of the top bel canto tenors in the world. With {…}

Nov 2, 2020

Q & A: Elīna Garanča on the Challenges COVID-19 Presents for the Opera World Faces

(Photo: Holger Hage for Deutsche Grammophon) Before answering each question, Elīna Garanča sighed heavily. “It’s difficult,” she said. I was angry at myself — some simple questions would probably improve the situation. And yet, we get what we get: one short call to discuss these tough times with a famous mezzo-soprano. And it was a difficult talk, indeed. It seems {…}

Nov 2, 2020

Q & A: Alžběta Poláčková On The Brno Janacek Festival, ‘Osud’ & Establishing A Successful Career In The Czech Republic

The Brno Janacek Festival 2020 kicked off with a performance of one of Janacek’s lesser known works, his semi-autobiographical opera “Osud,” with the Czech soprano Alžběta Poláčková in the lead female role of Mila. It would be a fair description to refer to Poláčková as one of the stars of the Czech National Opera, and no surprise that it was {…}

Oct 28, 2020

Restoring a Classic – How Opera Ritrovata Created a Critical Edition for Joseph Bologne’s ‘L’Amant Anonyme’

Back in the 18th century, Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges was one of the great figures of his day. He was a notable composer, violinst, and famed swordsman, with even Mozart having had great admiration for his talents. But a racist history would conspire to ultimately send him and his work into relative obscurity to the point that today, only {…}

Oct 27, 2020

Q & A: Leo Nucci on COVID-19, His Return to the Stage & the Teatro alla Scala

Leo Nucci is one of the most famous baritones in the world. During his career, he has performed dozens of roles, but the one for which he is certainly most famous is that of Rigoletto. He has performed his signature role more than 500 times all over the world including Teatro alla Scala, Arena di Verona, Opernhaus Zurich, Teatro Regio {…}

Oct 27, 2020

Q & A: Francesca Sassu & Raffaella Lupinacci on Getting COVID-19, ‘Anna Bolena,’ & Returning to the Stage

Francesca Sassu and Raffaella Lupinacci’s long-awaited debuts at the Lithuanian Opera in “Anna Bolena” proved quite a unique experience for both artists. Namely due to COVID-19. The Italian singers were set to perform the work for the first time in August until they tested positive for the virus. As a result, the company postponed the opening of the production while {…}

Oct 25, 2020

Q & A: Soprano Ana María Martínez on Singing Mimì in San Diego Opera’s Drive-In ‘Bohème’

Opera fans in San Diego have a real treat in store. Ana María Martínez, one of opera’s foremost interpreters of Mimì, the beloved heroine of Puccini/Illica’s “La Bohème,” has come to town to wow audiences at the Pechanga Arena Parking Lot from October 24 – November 1. The Grammy Award® winning soprano has sung Mimì for nearly 25 years to {…}

Oct 24, 2020

Q & A: Baritone Kenneth Overton on Returning to Live Performance & Spotlighting the Lives of the Black Opera Greats

Baritone Kenneth Overton recently performed for the first time in front of a live audience at Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York. The performance, entitled “To America,” celebrated the poetry of the civil rights activist, James Weldon Johnson, an early leader of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), and who is buried at Green-Wood. “To America” {…}

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