Barbara Hendricks is the textbook example of a singer that can truly do it all. Born on Nov. 20, 1948, in Arkansas, she graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a degree in mathematics and chemistry. But from there it was all music. She studied at Juilliard under mezzo-soprano Jennie Tourel and took master classes with Maria Callas. Per the {…}
Teatro Real decided to open the 2018-19 season with Gounod’s “Faust,” an opera which have been staged only once in 2003 since the theatre reopened in 1997. The expectations were high, with a strong cast lead by the international star tenor Piotr Beczala and accompanied by Marina Rebeka and Luca Pisaroni; the young conductor Ed Ettinger was in charge of {…}
Twenty years ago, mezzo-soprano Cecilia Bartoli released “The Vivaldi Album,” which redefined her as an artist in the eyes of many around the opera world. Now she has returned to that original well of inspiration with her latest album, “Antonio Vivaldi.” This new album will feature the mezzo in collaboration with the French baroque orchestra Ensemble Matheus under Jean-Christophe Spinosi. {…}
WQXR and the Metropolitan Opera have announced “Aria Code,” a new 10-episode podcast series that explores the opera world’s most legendary arias. The podcast is set to debut on Dec. 4, 2018, to coincide with the new production premiere of Verdi’s “La Traviata.” That episode will be dedicated to the famed Italian opera and will discuss the famed “E strano… {…}
The Metropolitan Opera will hold a special ceremony honoring Plácido Domingo during the Friday, Nov. 23 performance of “Il Trittico.” Domingo is celebrating his 50th Anniversary season with the company and he will be presented with a special honor at some juncture during the performance. The legendary artist is set to perform in the title role of the final opera {…}
Known as “Madame Mozart” and a passionate Bel Canto singer, Carmela Remigio has forged her career as one of the leading Italian sopranos of her generation. Not only has she sung a number of Mozart roles, but she has also taken on the challenges in the works of Verdi, Puccini, Tchaikovsky, and Stravinsky. As a Bel Canto singer, she is {…}
Polish baritone Simon Mechlinski and Venezuelan baritone Gustavo Castillo are winners of an artistic bursary from the Wexford Festival Opera. The prizes, given to violinist and conductor Cillian O’Breacháin as well, were given on the final weekend of the festival. Castillo received The Aria Friends’ Bursary, Mechlinski was the recipient of The Gerard Arnhold Award, and O’Breacháin was honored with {…}
Handel’s oratorio “Israel in Egypt” will open MasterVoices’ 77th season on Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2018 at Carnegie Hall. The performance, led by the ensemble’s Artistic Director Ted Sperling will feature the New York premiere of a multi-media version of the Handel piece. The performances on the evening will include Mikaela Bennett, Jessica Niles, John Holiday, Gregory Feldmann, Andrew Stenson, and {…}
One of the greatest Greek opera stars of all-time, Agnes Baltsa was born on Nov. 19, 1944. She kicked off her musical studies at age six as a pianist before moving to Athens in 1958 to become a singer. She studied on a Maria Callas scholarship in music upon graduating from the conservatory and made her first-ever appearance in an {…}
Puccini’s “Il Trittico” returns to the Met Opera on Nov. 23, 2018, for seven performances. Despite being one of Puccini’s finest works, it has only been presented with the company on 74 occasions; by the end of this run, it will have 81 performances total. As is always the case with these operas, there are a ton of singers involved {…}
“The Gospel according to the other Mary,” is defined by John Adams, and the complier of the libretto, Peter Sellars, as an opera-oratorio, and sitting in the concert hall of the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, in Rome, watching a performance of the work, conducted by the composer, it is easy to see why. For this is a work that {…}
