How does one discover opera? Is it through recordings, family or through music in schools? The answer is never a simple one and at times it is merely by coincidence. For some it is about discovery and curiosity. That’s Michele Angelini’s story. Discovering Opera “It was the movie ‘Amadeus.’ Specifically June Anderson singing the Queen of the Night,” Angelini revealed {…}
Every major discipline has its proverbial “Mount Everest,” the pinnacle achievement. The moment of “arrival” in which the person can feel a sense of accomplishment that few others, or only the true greats, have accomplished. In the soprano operatic repertoire, Bellini’s “Norma” is often viewed as that proverbial peak due to its taxing and wide-ranging nature. Lili Lehmann, one of {…}
At age 14, Riccardo Frizza decided he wanted nothing to do with opera. The catalyst? Bellini’s “I Puritani.” “I was studying in the conservatory and they took us to see ‘I Puritani,’” the famed conductor told OperaWire in an exclusive interview. “I thought it was so boring. It was a mistake to take me to see that first before any {…}
What do Giuseppe Di Stefano, Mirella Freni and Fritz Wunderlich have in common? While the three opera stars never collaborated, they had a massive impact of Joel Prieto’s formative years. The tenor recently told OperaWire, in an exclusive interview, about how these three icons of opera transformed his life completely and still do in many ways. Early Turning Points It {…}
This article was a joint collaboration between David & Francisco Salazar. “I like playing the villain.” That quote, as generic as it is, has been uttered in some variation by numerous actors throughout history. There is an excitement that comes with being the bad guy or girl. Of committing acts onscreen or onstage that you could never imagine doing out {…}
Every young artist has a role model. That person that drew them to their vocation and inspired their respective journeys. Most of them don’t expect that hero or heroine to crop up on that path toward success, much less play a hand in it. But a few young singers will see that wish come true at the Opera Naples this {…}
The voice is any singer’s most precious treasure. Without it their career is over no matter how good you look or how wonderful of an actor you are. In modern opera, it is also something that is overlooked as careers increasingly get shorter with fewer rest periods and singers consistently being asked to walk on stage without rehearsals. This is {…}
Violetta, the heroine of Verdi’s “La Traviata,” is one of the iconic roles of the operatic repertoire, the measuring stick by which almost all sopranos are judged. Singing the role for many is an indication for them that they have “arrived” in the opera world. It is so imbued with depth and intensity that years and years of performance reveal {…}
The union between an opera singer and his or her craft is a love story, many of which come in two variations. The first origin story is like most love stories, a chance encounter on their way into adulthood. Their first love was some other profession or dream that, like many first loves, never quite came to fruition. Such has {…}
