Tanglewood has announced that its star-studded gala concert, celebrating Leonard Bernstein’s centennial on August 25, 2018, will be recorded by Great Performances and broadcast on PBS, bringing this event to audiences in their homes throughout America, Europe, and Asia on December 28, 2018. The concert will be hosted by Audra McDonald and directed by James Darrah; among the names appearing {…}
Fort Worth Opera has announced that Margo Jefferson, distinguished author, academic, and cultural critic, will be delivering a keynote lecture on George and Ira Gershwin’s “Porgy and Bess,” on Saturday, April 27, 2019. The lecture will be part of the opening weekend for the 2019 Fort Worth Opera Festival. “I grew up with Porgy and Bess,” said Jefferson. “I’ve been {…}
Two-time Emmy Award-winning composer, lyricist, conductor, pianist, and producer Glen Roven has passed away at the age of 60. Roven was known for his diversity in music having started his career on Broadway as a rehearsal pianist for “Pippin,” while still in high school, and at 19 was the musical director of “Sugar Babies” on Broadway. He would then go on {…}
“Opera Meets Film” is a feature dedicated to exploring the way that opera has been employed in cinema. We will select a section or a film in its entirety, highlighting the impact that utilizing the operatic form or sections from an opera can alter our perception of a film that we are viewing. This week’s installment is Martin Scorcese’s “The {…}
“Parsifal,” which premiered on July 26, 1882, is Wagner’s final opera, and for many, his greatest. It is undeniably unique in its conception, the work created with the Bayreuth Festspielhaus in mind (the Festspielhaus was conversely created for the “Ring” operas). Wagner actually conceived the work in 1857 but did not complete it for 25 years and is often regarded {…}
Setting the timeless tragedy of Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” within Japan’s Azuchi-Momoyama period, ranging from 1568 to 1600 A.D., director Yukio Ninagawa takes drama and staging to new levels in this utterly beautiful production. On adapting the famous work, the late Ninagawa writes: “The tradition of Japanese theater enables us to make a leap in certain ways. Normally, it is difficult to {…}
Michael Spyres has canceled his participation in Chorégies d’Orange’s upcoming production of Rossini’s “Il Barbiere di Siviglia.” The festival announced that due to health reason Spyres would not be able to sing the role of Count Almaviva on July 31 and August 4. As a result, Ioan Hotea, will replace the tenor. The Romanian tenor won the first prize in the {…}
Composer Felix Jarrar has announced an immersive recital this August that will preview his fifth opera “Mother Goose.” The composer of “Tabula Rasa” announced, via press release, that the recital, entitled “Queens Without Boundaries” would take place on August 19, 2018 at the Cornelia Street Café. The performance will kick off at 6 p.m. The recital, which will feature contralto {…}
Anna Netrebko is set to make her Bayreuth Festival debut in 2019. The festival confirmed that the Russian soprano would sing two performances of Wagner’s “Lohengrin” next year. Netrebko, who was originally asked to open the new production by Yuval Sharon this year, made her role debut as Elsa in 2016 at the Dresden Semperoper and later went on to {…}
It seems like a lot of older conductors are slowly getting a chance to make their Bayreuth Festival debuts these days. This year it is all about Plácido Domingo and his debut in “Die Walküre.” And next year will be about Russian conductor Valery Gergiev. The famed maestro is set to take on “Tannhäuser” in the summer of 2019 with {…}
The Bayreuth Festival is set to broadcast the opening night performance of “Lohengrin” on July 25, 2018. BR-Klassik will broadcast the new production by Yuval Sharon, which is set to open the prestigious festival. The production will star Piotr Beczala in his Bayreuth Festival debut as well Anja Harteros, who is also appearing at the festival for the first time in her {…}