Over the past years, Yusif Eyvazov has skyrocketed onto the opera scene. He has made important debuts in London, New York, Milan, Los Angeles and Berlin and has been part of HD performances, galas, and tours. “I am happy. I never expected it when I started because you never have any guarantee and this is a dream come true for {…}
Mussorgsky’s “Boris Godunov” is legendary. The work is widely regarded as Russia’s greatest opera, even despite its labyrinthine history of revisions. This week, the work opens at the Opéra de Paris in a production by Ivo van Hove with Ildar Abdrazakov and Alexander Tsymbalyuk sharing the title role. Alongside them will be conductors Vladimir Jurowski and Damian Iorio. While Jurowski {…}
Scarlatti, Purcell, Monteverdi, Dowland, Vivaldi, and Caldara, were popular in early music, but without traditionally played instruments and vocals, could music from the 17th century resonate in the same way today? “HUSH,” an album that is pushing boundaries in the classical music world, was just released by Deutsche Grammophon and is sparking new ideas surrounding innovation and creativity in early {…}
This interview was conducted in collaboration with Francisco Salazar. Everyone knows what Jamie Barton can do. And if you don’t… The mezzo-soprano has firmly established herself over the past few years as one of the finest singing actresses on the planet, stealing scenes and garnering show-stopping applause with her incredible instrument and dramatic interpretation. She’s pulled off some historic feats {…}
It has been a whirlwind year for Adela Zaharia. The Romanian soprano won the Operalia competition in 2017 and since then her profile has risen. She made a surprising debut at the Bayerische Staatsoper, where she returns this summer for a new production. She was also featured as an ensemble member at the Deutsche Oper de Rhien, returned to the {…}
On May 18, 2018, bass-baritone Kyle Albertson had one of the most surprising experiences of his career. Albertson, who is currently covering the role of Wotan at the San Francisco Opera, was asked on short notice to sing a concert performance of the role with the Dallas Symphony. After saying yes, Albertson took the first flight to Dallas and arrived {…}
Madrid’s Teatro Real is set to present the first-ever performances of Bernd Alois Zimmermann’s “Die Soldaten” in Spain. The occasion will see Spanish conductor Pablo Heras-Casado, the theater’s Principal Guest Conductor, in the pit with a distinguished cast and Calixto Bieto directing. Zimmermann’s only opera is one of the most challenging and extraordinary pieces in the 20th-century and when Oper {…}
Guido Loconsolo is one today’s leading bass-baritones singing all over the world in every major opera house. His career has seen him perform many leading roles from Baroque composers, Verdi, Puccini, and Mozart, a composer he specializes in and wants to continue singing. This week he makes his Florida debut performing at Opera Naples under the direction of Ramon Tebar. {…}
This week Italian soprano, Francesca Aspromonte, a rising star in the early music scene, will see the release of her first solo CD, “Prologue.” At the age of only 27, she is standing on the threshold of a glittering career, with critics running out of adjectives to describe her performances. Aspromonte made her professional debut as La Musica in Monteverdi’s {…}
The double bill of Puccini’s “Gianni Schicchi” and Michael Ching’s “Buoso’s Ghost” is currently enjoying a successful run at Opera Delaware, where it will finalize its run this coming weekend. Two of the performers taking part in the production are soprano Sara Duchovnay and mezzo Claudia Chapa, who also have a unique connection through Shoperatic.com, a peer-to-peer online fashion marketplace {…}
“Tabula Rasa.” Many know the term to mean “blank slate,” but a more proper definition might be “erased slate.” That’s the idea behind composer Felix Jarrar and librettist / director Brittany Goodwin’s “Tabula Rasa,” which has its world premiere on May 4, 2018, as part of the New York Opera Fest, started. The concept of reformulating ideas to create new and {…}