Q & A: Teddy Balfour-Austin on the General Voices Program at the Denyce Graves Foundation

The Denyce Graves Foundation began as a way to bridge the past to future by honoring overlooked musical voices and empowering the next generation of world-class artists. Founded by opera star Denyce Graves, the foundation celebrates trailblazing musicians, music educators, and composers of color through community engagement programs, concerts and presentations, creation of new works of art, establishment of young {…}

Sep 24, 2026

Q & A: Marija Jelić on her Debut with the Sicilian Symphony Orchestra, AI in Opera & Future Projects

Serbian Marija Jelić Sid a rising star in opera, having performed at the Belgrade National Theatre, and Serbian National Theater as well as at the Ljubljana Festival, National Opera and Ballet in North Macedonia, Jerusalem Opera Festival, Sigulda Opera Festival, and Riga National Opera Orchestra. In addition to her career on stage, she is the president of the International Opera {…}

Sep 24, 2026

Q & A: Rosa Feola on the Metropolitan Opera, ‘La Bohème’ & Future Projects

(Credit: ©Todd Rosenberg) Rosa Feola is one of the most acclaimed sopranos of her generation and sought-after for her distinct lyric soprano and her impeccable acting. She has sung at many of the most important houses in the world and since 2019 has been at the Metropolitan Opera performing productions of “Le Nozze di Figaro,” “Fedora,” “Rigoletto” and “La Traviata.” {…}

Sep 19, 2026

Q & A: Composer Paola Prestini on ‘Sensorium Ex’ & VisionIntoArt’s ‘Make Make Innovation Festival’

Imagine being trapped inside your own head for 22 years, listening to mental loops playing on repeat all day, without the ability to use your own voice. In composer Paola Prestini and librettist Brenda Shaughnessy’s opera “Sensorium Ex,” Jakob Jordan plays Kitsune, the central character who, with the help of custom-designed AI tools developed with NYU’s Ability Lab, is able to {…}

Sep 18, 2026

Q & A: Azrieli Commission for Canadian Music Laureate Nicholas Denton Protsack on Creating Ecologically-Minded Music

(Credit: Hagen Hopkins) The 2026 Azrieli Commission for Canadian Music laureate is New Zealand-based Canadian composer and cellist Nicholas Denton Protsack. Described by the Canadian Music Centre as a “composer to keep a close eye on,” Protsack’s work explores the connections between sound, ecology, and improvisation, and has been performed across North America, Europe, and New Zealand. Recently, the composer {…}

Sep 17, 2026

Q & A: Sharon Carty on her Position as Artistic Director of the Sligo Baroque Festival & her Role as Mary in Irish National Opera’s Production of “Testament”

(Photo: Frank McGrath/Irish Independent) Mezzo-soprano Sharon Carty is a name familiar to anyone with an interest in classical music in Ireland. Known mainly for her many performances in operas and concerts across the country, she also active in other areas associated with the classical musical scene, not least in her role as the recently appointed artistic director of Sligo Baroque {…}

Sep 14, 2026

Q & A: Composer Hana Ajiashvili on Her Azrieli Award-Winning ‘Riddle,’ Finding Inspiration in Color & Music’s Omnipresence in Her Life

(Photo Credit: Michael-Pavia) “Color is one of the strongest impulses in my creative process. I often think about orchestration and instrumental techniques almost visually — as layers, densities, contrasts, surfaces, and transformations of color,” says composer Hana Ajiashvili, 2026 Laureate of the Azrieli Prize for Jewish Music (give for an existing but undiscovered work of Jewish music), regarding what inspires {…}

Sep 13, 2026

In Less Than Five Minutes, Get To Know Stage Director MariaLuisa Bafunno

(Photo: Mariapia Ballarino) Recently OperaWire attended a performance of “Farinelli: The Voice That Remains,” a one-man show by soprano Nicolò Balducci. It was quite a splendid piece of music theater, which wove a path between opera, spoken theater, and recital. Behind the scenes was Marialuisa Bafunno, who was responsible for the concept, stage direction, and spoken text. Such was the {…}

Sep 12, 2026

Q & A: Cathy & Peter Halstead of Tippet Rise Art Center on Music, Art, & the Land That Shapes Both

OperaWire visited Tippet Rise Art Center co-founders Cathy and Peter Halstead on a busy Friday afternoon, between a morning grand tour of the venue led by co-directors Lindsey and Pete Hinmon and the “American Songbook” concert at sunset. We met in a quiet building called Stillwater Porch, just off to the side of Will’s Shed. The room hosted a collection {…}

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