Perpetuating the Legacy of a Dear Friend – Gastón Ormazábal on Creating & Developing the Hildegard Behrens Foundation In Honor of the Historic Soprano

It was 1980, and Hildegard Behrens was at the Metropolitan Opera singing “Fidelio” with Jon Vickers. Gastón Ormazábal was but a student at Columbia University, where he is today a Senior Research Scientist. The two were about to meet for the first time. Neither knew that they would develop a friendship that would transcend Behrens’ lifetime. As Ormazábal, now the {…}

Feb 8, 2018

Q & A: Composer Daniel Thomas Davis on Creating ‘Family Secrets: Kith and Kin’ With 7 Librettists

The year 2018 is shaping up to be a major one for composer Daniel Thomas Davis. On Feb. 15 and 16, he will witness the staged premiere of his 2015 opera “Family Secrets: Kith and Kin” and then, this weekend, his opera “Six. Twenty. Outrageous,” will also get its world premiere. The composer hails from North Carolina and has had {…}

Feb 6, 2018

Q & A: Kevin Puts & Mark Campbell On the Creation of ‘Elizabeth Cree’

Murder, mystery, and mayhem are on offer in “Elizabeth Cree” when it opens this Saturday, Feb. 10 at the Chicago Opera Theater. Set in 1880s Victorian London, the opera begins with the hanging of Elizabeth Cree for the murder of her husband, John. The story then circles back to the trial for that murder and Elizabeth’s own narrative of her {…}

Feb 5, 2018

Enjoying Life His Way – Bass Rene Pape on ‘Parsifal,’ Future Projects, & The Papeduck

René Pape, opera’s most iconic bass had an eventful 2017 and is kicking off the New Year in tremendous style. For those who want a recap – the bass sang in 14 productions throughout the year, mostly in Wagner operas and then ended 2017 by releasing a rubber duck in his image, the famed “Papeduck.” And now he’s back for {…}

Jan 27, 2018

Q&A: Samantha Hankey On Winning The Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions & European Debut

American mezzo-soprano Samantha Hankey recently won the Grand Finals at the 2017 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and won First Prize winner of the Dallas Opera Guild Competition. Now after winning such prestigious competitions, she is slowly becoming one of the most acclaimed rising stars of the opera world. A recent graduate of the Juilliard School, Hankey has already performed {…}

Jan 26, 2018

The 5 Must-See Performers Of The Dallas Opera 2018-19 Season

The Dallas Opera has announced its 2018-19 season which includes five unique productions. But what makes this season exciting is the number of debuts that will be seen. Additionally, there will be a number of artists who make rare appearances in North America. Here are the five artists that will make this season special and are sure to make headlines. {…}

Jan 25, 2018

The People’s Opera – New York City Opera General Director Michael Capasso On Diverse Programming Driving Renaissance

The New York City Opera, an institution that had been at the heart of New York City’s opera culture was dead. Its fate was unknown. That’s when Michael Capasso stepped in. He had already worked extensively as a stage director and had even founded his own company, the Dicapo Opera Theatre in 1981. So he was not new to taking {…}

Jan 23, 2018

Exploring New Ground – Anita Rachvelishvili On Finding The Right Azucena & Recording Her First Solo Album

When is it the right time? That is the question most singers ask when choosing to explore new repertoire. There is always a risk in singing heavier works at a young age because it can damage the voice. And then there is a risk of being pigeonholed into singing one role. Ever since her breakout in 2009, Anita Rachvelshvili has {…}

Jan 19, 2018

Q & A: American Opera Initiative Director Robert Ainsley On Growing the Opera World & Challenges For Aspiring Composers / Librettists

Growing opera has become one of the essential missions of major opera companies. Fostering new talent, whether it be singers or composers, is now an active part of most opera companies’ structures. That is no different for the Washington National Opera and its American Opera Initiative. The program was initiated in 2012 with the goal to “stimulate, enrich, and ensure {…}

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