On July 26, 2019, Spanish tenor Xabier Anduaga (along with fellow competitor Adriana Gonzalez) achieved one of opera’s most coveted distinctions as he joined the circle of Operalia 1st Prize winners. The Operalia competition has been transforming talented young singers into stars of the opera scene since 1993, with winners frequently becoming headliners at top venues across the globe. This {…}
(Credit: Kaleigh Rae Photography) The opera lifestyle is one of the most complex and challenging. Working singers are constantly on the road and generally have little time to truly establish a homebase where they spend most of their time with families and loved ones. If anything, the idea of a homebase can be fleeting with many singers and their families {…}
(Photo credit: Simon Pauly) Today tenor Joshua Dennis is on a roll. A look back at his 2018-19 season reveals a whopping seven productions across such U.S. cities as New Orleans, San Antonio, Salt Lake City, Saint Paul, and Santa Fe in repertory ranging from classic romantics such as Verdi and Gounod to world premieres with modern masters like Joel Puckett {…}
(Credit: Mattias Baus) Today Bavarian vocalist David Steffens is enjoying his busy summer in Salzburg – a place where he also spent his student years. This time he is a part of Salzburg Festival, performing in three productions total and therefore visiting the stage of the Salzburg Festspiele almost daily. David Steffens started performing in this festival at the year {…}
For any fans who still believe classical music is confined to opulent concert halls, only to be enjoyed by the pillars of society, meet The Knights. Founded by brothers Colin and Eric Jacobsen, this adventurous 40-member chamber orchestra performs everything from Beethoven to Jimi Hendrix. Born into a musical family, with a father who played in the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, {…}
(Credit: Ian McIntosh Photography) Joel Allison made his debut at the age of 12 as the treble soloist in Howard Shore’s “Lord of the Rings” Symphony. Today this Canadian singer of the new generation has been praised for the “beautiful, rich, ringing tone” of his bass-baritone voice. Allison is working as a recitalist, soloing with all of the prominent Canadian {…}
(Credit: Annelies van der Vegt) British countertenor Alex Potter grew up in the British choral tradition as a boy chorister at Southwark Cathedral and later on sang at New College, Oxford. After this, he pursued further studies at the world-renowned Schola Cantorum in Basel, Switzerland with tenor Gerd Türk. Now he is a well-known countertenor, delighting audiences with world-class performances {…}
When “Breaking the Waves” made its world premiere in 2016 at Opera Philadelphia, it became a critical darling and won the inaugural Best New Opera Award from the Music Critics Association of North America. The work was also shortlisted for “Best World Premiere” Prize at the International Opera Awards. Since then, this opera has been performed at the Prototype Festival and will {…}
(Credit: Simon Pauly) Canadian tenor Josh Lovell’s career started in his native home before shifting to Chicago and will now take its next big step in Vienna this fall. He is a 2018 Grand Prize and Opera Prize winner at the 52nd Annual International Vocal Competition ‘s-Hertogenbosch, the second place winner of the 2018 Dallas Opera Competition, third place winner of the Marcello Giordani {…}
(Photo: Victor Santiago) Italian Bass-Baritone Alex Esposito has an established and successful career, particularly in roles from Mozart and Rossini operas, although he is certainly not to restricted to this repertoire. He has appeared in many of Europe’s premier theatres, including La Scala, Covent Garden, Berlin’s Staatsoper, Vienna’s Staatsoper and many more, and worked alongside many of the world’s leading {…}
(credit: Marco Borggreve) Trinidadian soprano Jeanine De Bique hadn’t seen a fully staged opera until the age of 21, but had been raised to appreciate the classical arts by her mother. Now, the award-winning singer is highly sought after for concert and staged works, with The “Washington Post” noting her “dramatic presence and versatility.” And as such, she will make {…}