(Credit: Barbara Dietl) Czech-born vocalist Tomaš Kral has a virtuosic baritone with a warm timbre which he uses to remind the modern-day audiences of the charm of early music, its purity of spirit, and the peace it brings. Audiences have had the opportunity to experience these aspects of Kral’s artistry through his performances with such as Collegium 1704, Collegium Marianum, {…}
(Credit: Javier del Real) Few opera directors have had as much influence as Emilio Sagi. After nearly 40 years, he is not just any other opera director – he is a brand and an icon, his work easily identifiable. He debuted in his native Oviedo with “La Traviata” in 1980 before triumphing in Madrid with “Don Pasquale” in 1982. Since {…}
Swedish soprano Nina Maria Stemme has been broadly regarded as one of the greatest living dramatic sopranos. What’s fascinating when you look at her career trajectory is seeing that the repertory for which she is best known seemed like a far cry during those early stage. She made her onstage debut in the mezzo-soprano role of Cherubino in Mozart’s opera {…}
(Credit: Columbia Artists) On Sept. 23, soprano Leah Hawkins, a member of the Lindemann Young Artist Development Program at the Metropolitan Opera, took part in the historic opening night performance of Gerswhin’s “Porgy and Bess” with the esteemed New York company. the Metropolitan Opera. While she was not one of the major headliners in a cast that feature Angel Blue, {…}
(Credit: Oleg Rostovstev) Singing a recital in New York City is a rare occasion for an artist of any caliber. So, it is understandable that when a major opera star gets a chance to perform in one of the city’s hallowed halls, their choice of repertory would truly highlight their vocal and interpretative prowess. The idea of programming a recital {…}
(Photo: Clive Barda) Anyone who was fortunate enough to attend a performance of Rossini’s one act farsa “Adina” at this year’s Wexford Festival Opera, or managed to catch the broadcast on RTE’s Lyric FM could not fail to have been enthused by mezzo-soprano Rachel Kelly’s stunning interpretation in the title role. Since impressing on the Jette Parker Young Artists Programme {…}
(Credit: Kristina Kalinina) At the beginning of the season, soprano Venera Gimadieva was forced to cancel a performance of “Francesca da Rimini” in Amsterdam. It was for the first time in her 13-year career as an opera singer that she had to take such an action and withdraw from an engagement. But the reason was simple and understandable for any {…}
(Credit: Philippe Stirnweiss) Since its world premiere in 2017, “Another Brick in the Wall” has garnered popularity throughout North America. The opera, based on the era defining album “The Wall” by Julien Bilodeau and first performed in Montreal before heading to the United Stated. The work, which set out to “give the audience an opportunity to discover a new dimension {…}
(Credit: Orlando Mendiola) Once Upon a Time composer Felix Jarrar examined the life of Kiki de Montparnasse in “Tabula Rasa.” He delved into the dark depths of Edgar Allan Poe’s “House of Usher.” He brought Ebenezer Scrooge out of the darkness and into the light with “A Christmas Carol.” He examined the myth of “Apollo and Hermes.” But four operas {…}