Opera Atelier To Feature Two Operas In 2018-19 Season

Opera Atelier has announced its 2018-2019 season featuring two operatic gems. The season opens with a French Baroque double bill featuring Charpentier’s “Actéon” and Rameau’s “Pygmalion.” The operas will star Colin Ainsworth in both title roles, alongside Mireille Asselin (Diana & Amour), Allyson McHardy (Juno & Céphise), Jesse Blumberg, Christopher Enns, Meghan Lindsay, Cynthia Smithers and Anna Sharpe. Marshall Pynkoski directs the production with a choreography by Jeannette Lajeunesse Zingg. Performance Dates: {…}

Jan 25, 2018

New York Festival Of Song Set to ‘Protest’ This February

The New York Festival of Song will present “Protest” on Feb. 27, 2018. The program will feature such singers as soprano Mikaela Bennett, soprano Christine Taylor Price, mezzo Rihab Chaieb, tenor Joshua Blue, baritone Dimitri Katotakis, baritone Jacob Scharfman, and bass Andrew Munn. Also on the program will be guitarist Jack Gulielmetti, and pianists Steven Blier and Chris Reynolds. The {…}

Jan 25, 2018

Piotr Beczala Signs Exclusive Contract with Pentatone

Pentatone has signed an exclusive contract with Polish tenor Piotr Beczala. In a press release, the tenor noted, “I truly look forward to a new challenge and to this collaboration with PENTATONE – a company with a glorious past that now seems ready for a bright future. I look forward to working with an enthusiastic team that understands the modern {…}

Jan 25, 2018

North Carolina Opera to Stage World Premiere of ‘Family Secrets: Kith and Kin’

The North Carolina Opera is set to present the world premiere staged production of “Family Secrets: Kith and Kin” by Daniel Thomas Davis. Performances are slated for Feb. 15-16, 2018 at the Burning Coal Theatre at the Murphey School. The work was originally commissioned for soprano Andrea Edith Moore, who will star in the production. The opera features texts from {…}

Jan 25, 2018

Opera Meets Film: Renée Fleming’s Appearance in ‘Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri’ More Than Meets the Eye

“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 puts a highlight on {…}

Jan 25, 2018

Metropolitan Opera 2017-18 Live in HD Preview: Yoncheva, Grigolo Appear on Silver Screen in ‘Tosca’

This weekend, the Metropolitan Opera’s famed Live in HD series returns with Puccini’s “Tosca.” The production by David McVicar stars Sonya Yoncheva, Vittorio Grigolo, and Zeljko Lucic, with Emmanuel Villaume conducting. The production premiered on New Year’s Eve 2017 and has divided critics left and right. Of this cast, OperaWire’s David Salazar wrote, “Yoncheva, Grigolo, Villaume Not Ready for Primetime,” {…}

Jan 25, 2018

Opera Profile: Rossini’s ‘La Cenerentola’

Aside from “Il Barbiere di Siviglia,” there is perhaps no more popular opera by Rossini than his interpretation of the immortal Cinderella tale. “Cenerentola” premiered on Jan. 25, 1817, and while it became popular in its early life, it fell out of favor until a Rossini renaissance took place in the second half of the 20th century. Short Plot Summary {…}

Jan 24, 2018

Royal Opera House Muscat 2017-18 Review: La Sonnambula: Rosa Feola Triumphs As Famed Bellini Heroine

Bellini’s “La Sonnambula” relies heavily on its star soprano for a satisfactory performance. Written to showcase Giuditta Pasta, one of the greatest divas of the time, the title role of Amina is known for its technical challenges which require the soprano to have complete command of long legato lines with great breath control. It also requires attacking trills and fast {…}

Jan 24, 2018

Hungarian State Opera To Stage Unauthorized Version Of ‘Porgy And Bess’

The Hungarian State Opera was not authorized to perform “Porgy and Bess” with an all Hungarian cast. According to a press release the company released and an article OperaWire published, the company would be making history by performing with a non-black cast. However, the Tams-Witmark Music Library, which licenses the live stage performing rights for the opera on behalf of the owners of that work, {…}

Jan 24, 2018

Teatro dell’Opera di Roma 2017-18 Review – I Masnadieri: Roberta Mantegna, Artur Rucinski Dominate in Brilliant But Bleak Production By Massimo Popolizio

It is always interesting to come across a performance of one of Verdi’s lesser known works, although you cannot always be certain of what you will get. Normally, these works are rarely performed for a reason – namely because they are not particularly strong. “Un Giorno di Regno” immediately springs to mind. But sometimes there seems to be no apparent {…}

Jan 24, 2018

Opera Profile: Bellini’s Final Masterpiece ‘I Puritani’

“I Puritani” is Bellini’s final opera, and for some, his best. The opera had its premiere on Jan. 24, 1835, seven months before the composer’s untimely death at the age of 33. The work is often criticized for its dramatic structure, though few complain about its musical genius, showcasing Bellini at his most refined and evolved melodically. Short Plot Summary {…}