George London Foundation Announces 2019 Winners

The George London Foundation and George London Awards have announced their annual competition winners. The George London Award was given to mezzo-soprano Samantha Gossard, soprano Rebecca Pedersen, mezzo-soprano Carolyn Sproule, tenor Charles Sy, and tenor Kyle van Schoonhoven. The five singers each got $10,000. Meanwhile, the George London encouragement award, which is a $1,000 prize, was given to Amanda Lynn Bottoms, Sarah Joyce Cooper, Ron Dukes, Vartan Gabrielian, Shannon {…}

Feb 25, 2019

French Baritone Jean-Christophe Benoît Passes Away At 93

French baritone Jean-Christophe Benoît passed away on Feb. 22, 2019, at the age of 93. He was born in Paris on Mar. 18, 1925 to a family of musicians. His mother, Léontine Benoit-Granier, was a composer, and his father, Henri Benoit, was a violinist. His sister Denise was an actress, dancer, and singer. Benoît studied under Olivier Messiaen at the {…}

Feb 25, 2019

John Adams To Be Awarded 2019 Erasmus Prize

The Praemium Erasmianum Foundation, a Dutch cultural institution dedicated to supporting the arts and humanities, announced on Feb. 21 that composer John Adams will be awarded its 2019 Erasmus Prize. According to the press release, the prize “is awarded annually to a person or institution that has made an exceptional contribution to the field of humanities, social sciences or the {…}

Feb 25, 2019

Artist Of The Week: Joyce El-Khoury

Elisabetta in “Roberto Devereux” is considered one of the most demanding roles in the soprano repertory and has always been a major measuring stick for leading Bel canto sopranos. Now, Joyce El-Khoury will take on the challenging role and look to make her mark. With her upcoming portrayal of Elisabetta at the Welsh National Opera, El-Khoury will continue to explore the Donizetti Tudor {…}

Feb 25, 2019

Teatro la Fenice 2018-19 Review: Il Re Pastore

Following on from its production of “Il Sogno di Scipione,” Venice’s La Fenice staged another Mozart rarity, “Il Re Pastore.” Although being a more mature work, the two operas share many characteristics; both were set to a libretto by Metastasio, written for sopranos and tenor voices (although in the latter work the role of Aminta was written for a castrato, {…}

Feb 25, 2019

Songplay Review 2019: Joyce DiDonato Dazzles In Diverse & Engaging Program Selection

The last time the formidable mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato appeared at UC Berkeley’s Zellerbach Hall, she concocted a program centered on an off-the-shelf theme labeled “War and Peace,” serving as the justification to string together a splendid collection of arias and laments. Set within a choreographed concert with a fairly substantial mise-en-scène, any pretense of that evening’s concept and symbolism inevitably {…}

Feb 25, 2019

Metropolitan Opera Live in HD 2018-19 Preview: Javier Camarena & Pretty Yende Star in ‘La Fille du Régiment’

The Met Opera’s Live in HD series continues this Saturday, March 2, 2019 with a performance of Donizetti’s comic gem “La Fille du Régiment.” The broadcast, which kicks off 12:55 p.m. Eastern time, will feature Pretty Yende as the titular heroine Marie. Starring as Tonio and tasked with singing nine high C’s will be tenor Javier Camarena. Other cast members {…}

Feb 25, 2019

Artist Profile: Tenor Enrico Caruso, One Of the Most Famous Opera Stars In History

Enrico Caruso, born on Feb. 25, 1873, might just be the most famous tenor of all time. Perhaps he might even be the most famous opera singer ever to grace the earth. He came from humble beginnings in Naples and there is even an urban legend that his parents might have had around 21 children and 18 died in infancy. {…}

Feb 24, 2019

Composer Profile: Arrigo Boito, Renaissance Man

Arrigo Boito, born on Feb. 24, 1842, was what one could consider a Renaissance Man of the 19th century. He was a poet, journalist, novelist, librettist, and composer and many of his works in those diverse disciplines remain fixtures of the operatic canon. He initially set out to be a musician, studying at the Milan Conservatory. He then fought in {…}

Feb 24, 2019

Artist Profile: Soprano Renata Scotto, Intense Singing Actress Turned Director

Renata Scotto was one of the most essential Italian sopranos of the latter 20th century, renowned for incredible acting talents and intense vocalism. Born on Feb. 24, 1934 in Savona, Italy, she made her opera debut at age 18 as Violetta in “La Traviata.” The next day, she officially debuted at the Teatro Nuovo in Milan, in the same opera. {…}

Feb 23, 2019

Metropolitan Opera 2018-19 Review: Falstaff

This review is for the performance on Feb. 22, 2019. The month of February might be the Met’s best in 2018-19. Just a few weeks ago, the company revived Donizetti’s “La Fille du Régiment” and it proved to be one of its great successes of the season. Propped up by star performances and a brilliant production, it has kept audiences {…}