Layla Claire is recognized as one of the rising stars of the opera world, having performed at some of the most acclaimed theaters in the world. A graduate of the Lindemann Young Artist Development Program at the Metropolitan Opera, Claire has specialized in the works of Mozart and Handel and has also performed operas by Britten. She is also a {…}
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 {…}
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 {…}
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. {…}
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 {…}
Being one of the most in-demand artists around is never easy. But Luca Pisaroni has found a way to balance his professional and his personal life in a way that the two work together. In a recent interview with OperaWire, the bass commented on his lifestyle, his approach to learning new roles, and his reinterpretation of old ones. Always at {…}
George Gagnidze is one of today’s leading baritones and one of the Metropolitan Opera’s leading singers. Throughout the past few years, he has been invited to some of the most prestigious theaters in the world including Teatro alla Scala, Teatro Real Madrid, and the Deutsche Oper Berlin among others. This season he returns to the Met for a double bill {…}
He’s 36 years old. He lives in an RV that he uses to travel across the US. He’s coming off a summer in which he scored one of his greatest career victories to date. And he’s also that rare breed of dramatic tenor that takes well to Wagner’s operas. He’s so adept at the musical style that he is the {…}
It all started with a phone call. Countertenor Iestyn Davies was just going about his usual business when Claire van Kampen called him up to make an offer. She had been preparing “Farinelli and the King” when she heard a voice on the radio. A countertenor to be sure. The singer in question? Davies. She knew that she had to {…}
For 30 years Maria Guleghina has dominated the operatic stage. She has built a career singing a diverse range of repertoire from Verdi to verismo to bel canto and it has all brought her huge successes. With a career that has taken her to Teatro alla Scala to the Royal Opera House to the Vienna State Opera and, most importantly, the Metropolitan Opera, {…}
Every single year, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir puts on the holiday performance of Utah. And a year later, audiences around the world get to revel in its beauty via PBS. This year’s showcase, scheduled for Dec. 15, 2017 on PBS and on Dec. 17 on BYUtv, is set to be no different. Since its inception in 2000, the “Christmas with {…}