Marian Anderson is an iconic figure, noted for how her immense talent and perseverance enabled her to break major barriers. The mezzo-soprano was born on February 27, 1897, in Philadelphia and displayed immense vocal ability as a child. Unfortunately, her family could not afford to pay for formal training. In her early years of life, supportive members of her church congregation {…}
Mirella Freni, born on Feb. 27, 1935, would go on to become one of the renowned Italian sopranos of her generation. Freni’s musical talent was recognized from an early age as she performed “Un bel dì vedremo” on a radio competition. She made her opera debut in her hometown on March 3, 1955 in “Carmen,” taking on the role of {…}
Charlotte “Lotte” Lehmann was one of the great interpreters of the German repertory. Born on February 27, 1888 in Perleberg, she was encouraged by her father to take up a more “practical” career, but she was determined to study singing. After some troubling experiences finding a suitable instructor, she finally found Mathilde Mallinger to teach her. After less than a {…}
“La Forza del Destino” is one of Verdi’s most unusual works. It had its world premiere on Nov. 10, 1862 in St. Petersburg, but the revised version (which is the one largely performed these days) had its premiere on Feb. 27, 1869 in Milan. The opera’s first version is radically different from a narrative standpoint, the ending less hopeful and {…}
Enrico Caruso, born on Feb. 25, 1873, might just be the most famous tenor of all time. Perhaps he might even be the most famous opera singer ever to grace the earth. He came from humble beginnings in Naples and there is even an urban legend that his parents might have had around 21 children and 18 died in infancy. {…}
Arrigo Boito, born on Feb. 24, 1842, was what one could consider a Renaissance Man of the 19th century. He was a poet, journalist, novelist, librettist, and composer and many of his works in those diverse disciplines remain fixtures of the operatic canon. He initially set out to be a musician, studying at the Milan Conservatory. He then fought in {…}
Renata Scotto was one of the most essential Italian sopranos of the latter 20th century, renowned for incredible acting talents and intense vocalism. Born on Feb. 24, 1934 in Savona, Italy, she made her opera debut at age 18 as Violetta in “La Traviata.” The next day, she officially debuted at the Teatro Nuovo in Milan, in the same opera. {…}
Régine Crespin was one of France’s greatest opera stars. The French superstar, born on Feb. 23, 1927, was born in Marseille and experienced a challenging childhood often hampered by an alcoholic mother and the second World War. She was originally set for a career as a pharmacist but exam results limited her being able to attend college. She then started {…}
When it comes to baroque opera, George Frideric Handel is the go-to composer. Born on Feb. 23, 1685, Handel worked as a composer in Hamburg and Italy before eventually making his way to London where he would become a prominent figure. He set up three commercial opera companies in London and wound up composing a whopping 42 operas between 1705 {…}
Zandonai’s “Francesca da Rimini” isn’t necessarily a staple of the opera canon, but it has had its share of champions over the years, including Magda Olivero, and Renata Scotto, among others. The work had its world premiere on Feb. 19, 1914 and remains the composer’s most famous work. It has gotten key performances at the major theaters around the world, {…}
Born on Feb. 15, 1947, John Adams is one of the great American composers of the late 20th century. He grew up in numerous states throughout New England and began composing at the age of 10. At Harvard, he studied composition and in 1972, he was teaching at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. He then kicked off his career {…}
