Metropolitan Opera & Donizetti Opera Festival’s Superstar Galas Headline Top 10 Operas to Stream This Week

Credit: Spinto/Javier del Real/Nicola Allegri/Julian Hargraves/ Gregor Hohenberg / Sony Classical While the continued quarantine is undoubtedly becoming increasingly challenging for many, there is some relief in knowing that there is opera to check out on a daily basis. What’s more the offerings are becoming increasingly diverse in their range of repertory and content, which allows opera audiences to curate unique {…}

Apr 20, 2020

CD Review: Roberto Alagna’s ‘Caruso’

Long is the shadow that Enrico Caruso and his recordings cast on the history of singing. At a critical juncture of technological advance, they inspired not only an epigonal school of tenors (whose famous “sobs” entered the mainstream of verismo singing) but also a whole array of cultural byproducts that range from semi-fictional biopics to Lucio Dalla’s global hit. On {…}

Apr 20, 2020

Carriage Works & Sydney Chamber Opera to Present Online Premiere of ‘Breaking Glass’

Australian-based companies Carriageworks and Sydney Chamber Opera will present the online world premiere of “Breaking Glass” on Saturday, April 26, 2020 at 7:30 p.m. local time. “Breaking Glass” is a compilation of four operas by Australian female composers Peggy Polias, Josephine Macken, Georgia Scott and Bree van Reyk. Polias is the composer of “Commute,” Macken created “The Tent;” Plath created “Her Dark {…}

Apr 20, 2020

In Series to Stream Kate Soper’s “Here Be Sirens’

The IN Series will continue its online streaming series with a production of “Here Be Sirens” by Kate Soper. The work explores Homer’s Odyssey through three singers, including Noelle McMurtry, Julie Boswroth, and Camille Crossot. The program hails from March 7 and 8, 2020 and featured stage direction by Brian J. Shaw, set design by Johnathan Dahm Roberston, lighting design {…}

Apr 19, 2020

Word Search: Complete the Name of these Storied Interpreters of Flotow’s “Martha”

For this week’s Word Search we turn to Flotow’s “Martha” and the storied artists who have taken on the opera. Flotow is a German composer born on April 27, 1812. Instructions: You are free to solve the word search directly on your mobile or desktop device; just click the first and last letter of each word for it to appear {…}

Apr 19, 2020

Berlin State Opera Cancels a 2020-21 Production

The Berlin State Opera has announced changes to its upcoming 2020-21 season. In a statement, the company said that the new production of “Khovanshchina,” which was scheduled to open on June 2020 will no longer take place; as a result the 2020-21 revival will also be canceled. The June 2020 production was to be conducted by Vladimir Jurowski with a {…}

Apr 19, 2020

Plácido Domingo, Mirella Freni, Anna Netrebko Headline La Scala’s Streaming Options This Week (April 20-26)

(Credit: Brescia e Amisano) The Teatro alla Scala has announced its upcoming opera streams via Raiplay and Rai5. On Monday, April 20, the company will present Mozart’s “Lucio Silla” on Raiplay with Kresimir Spicer, Lenneke Ruiten, Marianne Crebassa, Inga Kalna, and Giulia Semenzato. On that same day, Verdi’s “Giovanna d’Arco” will be presented on Rai5 with Anna Netrebko, Francesco Meli, {…}

Apr 19, 2020

Joyce DiDonato, Javier Camarena & Barbara Hannigan Highlight Palau de la Musica Catalana’s 2020-21 Season

The Palau de la Musica Catalana has announced its 2020-21 season featuring some of the greatest singers and choruses in the world. For the purposes of this article, vocal performances are highlighted. Marta Mathéu, Gemma Coma-Alabert, David Alegret, and Joan Martín-Royo are joined by pianists Jordi Armengol and Francisco Poyato for a program of Brahms. Performance Date: Sept. 17, 2020 {…}

Apr 19, 2020

Yusif Eyvazov Announces ‘Conversations with Extraordinary People’

Yusif Eyvazov has announced a new project entitled “Conversations with extraordinary people” on Instagram. The tenor announced the show stating, “I’ve been lucky to meet and to work with the most talented and outstanding artists of our time. Then I got the idea of an artist being interviewed, not by a journalist, but by another artist. I find it new {…}

Apr 19, 2020

Boston Symphony Orchestra Announces Pay Cuts & Furloughs

The Boston Symphony Orchestra has announced that orchestra members will take pay cuts while other staffers will be furloughed. According to the Boston Globe, the orchestra agreed to take a 25 percent salary reduction until the end of August while 70 full-time staff members will be temporarily furloughed. The cuts were made as the BSO is facing over 10.2 million {…}

Apr 19, 2020

Los Angeles Mayor Says Concerts Unlikely Until 2021

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti announced that sporting events and concerts may not resume until 2021 due to the coronavirus. In an interview with CNN, Garcetti said, “It’s difficult to imagine us getting together in the thousands anytime soon, so I think we should be prepared for that this year.” He added, “I think we all have never wanted science {…}