Pretty Yende is very popular these days as she made an appearance on the Wendy Williams show. The soprano performed the cavatina to Una voce poco fa” from Rossini’s “Il Barbiere Di Siviglia,” a role she is currently performing and scoring rave reviews for at the Metropolitan Opera. After the show Yende and Williams did a behind the scenes video where they spoke {…}
The history of Mussorgsky’s famed “Boris Godunov” is quite extensive with many comparing it to Verdi’s “Don Carlo” in terms of its numerous versions. The truth is that the opera, like the Italian composer’s counterpart, has no definitive version. Mussorgsky originally released a version of the opera in 1869 but then went about revising it, expanding on musical material and {…}
What are you doing this weekend? Do you have any plans? If not the world’s greatest houses have some great offerings this weekend. Among the artists performing include Placido Domingo, Juan Diego Florez, Lise Lindstorm and Francesco Meli. Austria The weekend kicks off with Gounod’s “Romeo et Juliette” at the Vienna State Opera. The production stars Aida Garifullina and Juan {…}
Mozart’s operas are collections of some of the art form’s most iconic characters. A survey through the works of classical music’s most iconic creator, who turns 261 on Jan. 27, will reveal one complex being after another. The lengthy list is unlike any other in perhaps any art form. Every character shines brightly in a Mozart character, whether he be {…}
Four companies open their doors for 2017 as the opera world in the United States slowly gets back in the rhythm. The two most recognized are the Lyric Opera of Chicago and Los Angeles Opera. Both companies will make their 2017 premieres on Saturday. In Chicago, audiences will be treated to Mozart’s “The Abduction of the Seraglio” which will feature {…}
How did the superstars of the opera world spend the last full week of January? For Aida Garifulina it was a week of major milestones as the soprano not only got to sing alongside Juan Diego Flórez in “Roméo et Juliette” with Plácido Domingo in the pit, but she got to present her first solo album in Vienna. We’re getting {…}
On Jan. 26 two operas had their premieres and are now part of the standard repertoire. The first opera was Mozart’s “Così Fan Tutte” in 1790 and the second was Strauss’ “Der Rosenkavalier” in 1911. Both operas are from different periods and completely different in style, but they have one in common. Many Mozartian singers who take on one opera, wind {…}
Klara Takacs has died at the age of 71. The Hungarian mezzo-soprano was reported to have passed away on Jan. 21, 2017. Takacs was well regarded throughout her career and made her Metropolitan Opera debut in 1982 performing the role of Adalgisa in Bellini’s “Norma.” Renata Scotto played the title role. Tacks also sang at the Vienna State Opera, Salzburg Festival and Italy’s Teatro alla Fenice. {…}
Audiences will get the first taste of what Jonas Kaufmann’s “Tristan und Isolde” will sound like when he takes on the second act at Carnegie Hall next year. The esteemed concert venue’s 2017-18 season was announced on Wednesday, fans learning that opera’s greatest stars will be everywhere on the schedule. Kaufmann’s “Tristan” is the big one of course, a concert {…}
The Lyric Opera of Chicago continues its 2016-17 season in a big way when it showcases Bellini’s masterful “Norma” on its stage this Saturday. The production will feature Sondra Radvanovsky, who has dominated the title role all around the world. Conductor Riccardo Frizza recently told OperaWire that working with Radvanovsky on this role is a revelation because she is “fully {…}
On Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2017, the Royal Opera House will showcase Verdi’s “Il Trovatore” live in HD around the world. The performance, which kicks off at 7:30 p.m. local time (1:30 p.m. for those on the East Coast and 10:30 a.m. for those on the West Coast) will feature Gregory Kunde in the lead role, Lianna Haroutounian as Leonora, Anita {…}
