Teatro Regio Torino 2017-18 Review – I Lombardi: Angela Meade & Francesco Meli Sparkle In Early, But Underdeveloped Verdi Opera

A number of Verdi’s early operas are closely associated with the Risorgimento, no more so than “Nabucco” with its famous chorus, “Va pensiero,” in which the people yearn for a homeland. Arguably, however, it was the follow-up and now rarely performed opera, “I Lombardi alla Prima crociata,” which best encapsulates the spirit of the Italian people’s desire for nationhood. Listening {…}

Apr 27, 2018

Top 5 Operas to See This Weekend – North America (4/27-29): Ailyn Pérez, Frederica Von Stade, Elizabeth Caballero Among Divas to Reign Supreme This Weekend

It’s a crowded weekend and thus a major challenge to select from the numerous options. The five here were our favorites, but by all means, head over to the other companies not listed here and check out the opera offerings they have. There were truly more than we could imagine. Here are our picks, in alphabetical order by company. Houston {…}

Apr 27, 2018

Composer Profile: Fredrich Von Flotow & His Famous Aria

Friedrich von Flotow, born on April 27, 1812, was a German composer of about 30 operas. He was French-trained, learning from such composers as Auber, Rossini, Meyerbeer, Donizetti, Halévy, Gounod, and Offenbach. He completed his first opera in 1835, entitled “Pierre et Cathérine,” and would go on to create operas all the way through 1876. He was popular throughout his {…}

Apr 27, 2018

Opera Profile: Gounod’s Extended Love Duet, ‘Roméo et Juliette’

There aren’t any settings of Shakespeare’s famous “Romeo and Juliet” in the opera world more popular than Gounod’s. Part of the reason for that is the long-running success of Gounod’s “Roméo et Juliette,” which premiered on April 27, 2018. The opera in five acts is a fixture in the operatic canon, famous for its extensive love duets for both lead {…}

Apr 27, 2018

Top 5 Operas to See This Weekend – International (4/28-30): Jonas Kaufmann, Rolando Villazon & Gregory Kunde Lead Star-Studded Weekend

The weekend looks star-studded with many operatic classics being performed by some of the greatest stars . There are also two interesting new productions to look forward to. Andrea Chénier – Wiener Staatsoper, Austria Jonas Kaufmann brings his acclaimed Andrea Chénier to the Vienna State Opera and his frequent stage partner Anja Harteros sings the role of Maddalena. Marco Armiliato {…}

Apr 27, 2018

Artist Profile: Soprano Judith Blegen & Her Lengthy Met Opera Career

Kentucky-born soprano Judith Blegen, born on April 27, 1941, made a successful career dominated by her association with the Metropolitan Opera. She actually kicked off her career studying violin before switching over to voice at the Curtis Institute of Music and then went to Rome to continue her vocal studies. She would eventually kick off her career in Germany and {…}

Apr 26, 2018

Nihad Fathy Makes History In Saudi Arabia

Nihad Fathy made history on Wednesday, April 25, 2018, in Saudi Arabia, becoming the first female singer to perform before a mixed audience for the first time in the country. Egypt’s National Arab Music Ensemble (AME) of the Egyptian Opera House debuted in the Kingdom with Fathy performing before a 2,500 audience at King Fahad Cultural Center in Riyadh. “This {…}

Apr 26, 2018

San Francisco Opera Announces Single Tickets For Wagner’s Ring

On May 1, 2018, tickets to individual performances of Richard Wagner’s four-opera cycle, “Der Ring des Nibelungen” will be available for the San Francisco Opera’s summer revival. The announcement comes after performances were only available as complete cycle packages. Seats for all 12 performances in three full cycles of Wagner’s Ring will be available for purchase individually and in build-your-own cycles. Availability {…}

Apr 26, 2018

Unison Media & Green-Wood Unite To Present The Angel’s Share

Unison Media and The Green-Wood Historic Fund have announced “The Angel’s Share,” a new series of opera and chamber music concerts taking place in Green-Wood’s remarkable Catacombs. The catacombs are one of the oldest structures in the 478-acre National Historic Landmark cemetery and were built in the 1850s. The series takes its name from the distiller’s term for whiskey that {…}

Apr 26, 2018

Arena Di Verona Announces Casting For 2018 Festival

The Arena di Verona has announced its casting for the 2018 festival, showcasing some of the biggest stars in the opera world. Here is a breakdown of what stars will grace the stage of the famous arena. Carmen Three mezzos take on the iconic role of “Carmen” including Anna Goryachova and Carmen Topciu. They are joined by four Don José’s including Brian Jagde, {…}

Apr 26, 2018

Gianandrea Noseda Breaks Ties With Teatro Regio Di Torino

Gianandrea Noseda has decided to break his relationship with the Teatro Regio di Torino. The conductor put out a statement noting that the recent actions of the board were not in accordance with how he viewed the future of the company. Here is the full statement: “The recent actions taken by the board of the Teatro Regio Torino are disappointing {…}