Being one of the leading tenors in the operatic world, Lawrence Brownlee is no stranger to interpreting works of art and lending them his own brand of beauty and meaning. On April 24, Brownlee took to Carnegie Hall to deliver a performance nearer and dearer to his heart, and one that places a firm finger on the pulse of tensions {…}
Mezzo-soprano Huguette Tourangeau has passed away. The Canadian Mezzo, who won the Metropolitan National Council auditions in 1964, went on to have an international career after her successful debut as Mercédès in “Carmen” under Zubin Mehta, in 1964. From there she went on to perform leading roles, including “Carmen,” which she toured in North America in a total of 56 cities {…}
The Opéra National de Paris has announced its cinema season for the 2018-19 season. Here is a look at the works that you can expect to see on the silver screen. Meyerbeer’s Les Huguenots (Oct. 4, 2018): The season begins with Meyerbeer’s grand opera starring Bryan Hymel, Diana Damrau, Ermonela Jaho, and Nicolas Testé. Michele Mariotti conducts Andreas Kriegenburg’s new production. Verdi’s {…}
Few singers had or have what Polish coloratura contralto Ewa Podles had – an expansive range. A three-octave range to be exact. Born on April 26, 1952 in Warsaw, Poland, Podles studied a the Warsaw Academy of Music and quickly established herself internationally at the age of 32 when she made her Metropolitan Opera debut in the title role of {…}
“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 we will take a {…}
Dutch soprano Eva-Maria Westbroek, born on April 26, 1970, is one of the great singing actresses of the 21st century opera world. Westbroek studied at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague between 1988 and 1995 eventually making her professional debut at the Aldeburgh Festival in 1994. While she won some awards in her 20s, she made her major international breakthrough {…}
On May 23, 2018, St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral will be the venue where Divaria Productions showcases their new work “Don Giovanni in New York,” which follows the historical events preceding the American premiere of Mozart’s classic work 192 years ago. The work, presented in collaboration with the Italian Cultural Institute of New York, has an original script that weaves together {…}
Stage designer Johan Engels had a massive career in the opera world before his untimely death in 2014. He worked with such companies as the Vienna State Opera, Opéra de Marseille, National Theatre of Norway, Bregenzer Festspiele, throughout his career in addition to numerous Broadway shows and the Royal Shakespeare Company, among others. In honor of what would have been {…}
Grammy winner and international opera star Mark S. Doss is set to return to New York for a solo recital. Presented by The Drozdoff Society’s Impromptu! Classical Music Recital Series, Doss will perform at the Baruch Performing Arts Center on May 16, 2018, as part of his four-state solo recital run with additional engagements in New Jersey, Maryland, and Connecticut. Doss’ recital follows {…}
The Opera National du Rhin’s 2018-19 season has been announced and with it, there are a number of new productions, recitals, and festival programs that will provide a diverse amount of operatic events. Productions The opera season opens with Rossini’s “Il Barbiere di Siviglia” starring Yijie Shi, Leon Kosavic, Marina Viotti, and Carlo Lepore. Michele Gamba conducts the new production {…}
Premiering on April 25, 1926, Puccini’s final opera “Turandot” has always suffered a controversial legacy. The opera is a fixed repertory staple best-known for one particular piece of music. And yet, it would be hard to claim it the composer’s greatest work overall, as he died before its completion. Puccini famously struggled with writing its ending and upon his passing {…}