Canadian-born soprano and teacher Ludmilla “Milla” Andrew has passed away. Andrew, writes Alexander Campbell for ClassicalSource, “is probably best remembered for her mettlesome dramatic voice that was heard to advantage in the dramatic corners of the repertoire.” She made her Canadian Opera Company debut in 1955 as the Foreign Woman in Menotti’s “The Consul” after completing her studies at Toronto Conservatory. She {…}
Regina Opera has announced its 50th anniversary season. The Brooklyn-based organization, which was founded in 1970, will present three new productions of beloved operas. All performances will take place at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Academy of Brooklyn. All of the performances, with the exception of the opening nights for each production, will start at 3 p.m. local time. {…}
This week features three major releases. Among them will be solo album debuts and one very intriguing world premiere that should spark the interest of contemporary opera lovers. P R I S I M Composer and sound artist Ellen Reid’s opera “p r i s m” is set to be released by Decca Gold. The opera, with a libretto by Roxie Perkins, was commissioned {…}
(Photo: Innsbrucker Festwochen/Rupert Larl) In 1732, “Merope” was premiered at the Turin carnival. It was written by the now little known composer Riccardo Broschi to a libretto by Apostolo Zeno. The complex plot is typical of the period, in which a usurper, Polifonte, has taken the throne of Messene, after having murdered its King, Cresfonte, and his children. Such an {…}
Gerald Barry’s first opera “The Intelligence Park” with a libretto by Vincent Deane return to London at the Linbury Theatre ahead of “Alice’s Adventures Under Ground” on the main stage later in the Season. “The Intelligence Park” was first commissioned by the ICA and was first performed in 1990 at the Almeida Festival. The work introduced a completely new operatic {…}
Music of Remembrance is set to open its 22nd season with the world premieres of two works. The company will present Ryuichi Sakamoto’s “Passage” and Shinji Eshima’s “Veritas.” Sakamoto’s “Passage” is a compelling work for string quartet with text by Kareem Lotfy and depicts the struggle of a refugee seeking to escape violence and persecution in his home country in {…}
The Australian Brandenburg Orchestra is set to a series of concerts of Baroque music featuring three soloists under the age of 30: two violinists and a soprano. The concerts will showcase rising stars 11-year-old violinist Christian Li, violinist Annie Gard, and soprano Madison Nonoa performing a program of instrumental and vocal music by Bach, Handel, and Vivaldi alongside the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra in Sydney and Melbourne. {…}
Opera Saratoga has unveiled its 2020 summer festival programming which will feature three new productions, including a New York Premiere. It all gets started with Gilbert and Sullivan’s “The Pirates of Penzance,” which will be conducted by Brian DeMaris in a production by Eve Summer. The work will feature Opera Saratoga Festival Artists. Performance Dates: June 19-July 4, 2020 Next {…}
Argentinian soprano Adelaida Negri passed away on Aug. 17, 2019 at the age of 75, due to an enduring illness. Born in Buenos Aires to Italian parents in 1943, Negri, as noted by Platea Magazine, “had a very meritorious and unanimously recognized international career, with outstanding appearances in some of the great theaters of the world.” According to her website, {…}
(Credit: Richard Hubert Smith) The Glyndebourne Opera Cup is set to make its return in 2020. The event, which was announced on Glyndebourne’s official website, will feature its final on March 7, 2020; it will be broadcast live via Sky Arts. The semifinals are set for March 4, 2020. In announcing the competition’s return, Glyndebourne has revealed that the competition {…}
The New York City Opera has announced the program for its upcoming concert on Sept.9, 2019 at Bryant Park in New York. This event is intended to celebrate the company’s 75th anniversary. The performance will feature Michael Chioldi, Lisa Chavez, Glen Seven Allen, Mark Rucker, Brandie Sutton, Won Whi Choi, Kristin Sampson, Mark Delavan, Inna Dukach, and Megan Picerno. Carolyn Kuan, James {…}