The HD phenomenon has taken hold of the opera world over the past few decades, even though video recordings of performances have been around for quite some time. But today it has become embedded as a major part of the operatic experience and some might argue that a number of productions in major theaters are directed with the high-definition video {…}
The Pittsburgh Festival Opera has received a Bronze World Medal for Excellence in a Production Dealing with Society and Societal Issues award at the NY Festivals International TV and Film Awards. The production in question is “A Gathering of Sons,” which the company commissioned as part of its 2017 season. The 90-minute gospel-infused opera tells the story of a black {…}
“NOOMA,” a new opera for babies, is set for its world premiere at Carnegie Hall on Friday and Saturday, April 26-27 at 11:15 a.m. The work, which was co-commissioned by Carnegie Hall, the San Francisco Opera, and Minnesota Opera, was composed specifically for babies and features parachutes. There will be four performances throughout this particular run. The work was designed {…}
La Filarmónica has announced its 2019-20 season featuring numerous concerts. For this article we will only focus on choral and operatic events. Karl-Heinz Steffens conducts the Prague Opera Orchestra in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto. Soloists will be announced at a later time. Performance Date: Nov. 19, 2019 María Espada and Carlos Mena sing Pergolesi’s “Stabat Mater” {…}
Sondra Radvanovksy is one of the great sopranos of the 21st century. Born on April 11, 1969 in Berwyn, Illinois, she moved to Richmond, Indiana in her youth. She sang her first full-length opera at age 21 and then studied theater and voice at the University of South California and UCLA. In 1995, she won the First Prize at the {…}
The Palau de La Musica has announced its 2019-20 season featuring guest performers, a number of choral pieces and all stars. Here is a break down of the operatic and vocal performances the season will offer. The season opens with the Choir of Clare College, Cambridge with the Jove de l’Orfeó Català in music by Wylkynson, Byrd, Britten, Lobo, Casals, Harvey, Weir, Villiers Stanford, {…}
The Verdi “Requiem” is an interesting work in the canon of both Verdi and choral music, for a number of reasons. It would certainly seem an unusual piece for the notoriously non-religious Verdi, who might even seem anti-clerical. Add to that the fact that the “requiem” — a hit, if you will, performed globally by Verdi, from Milan to Paris {…}
The Harry T. Burleigh Society and Urban Playground Chamber Orchestra will collaborate to present “From Song Came Symphony.” The concert will explore the symphonic influence of composer Harry T. Burleigh, “who’s legacy is often tied to the concertization of the American spiritual,” according to the press release. The Burleigh Society aims to “advance the studies of black art music through {…}
The Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra is set to perform Richard Strauss’ “Elektra” in 2020. Performances are set for March 18 in Poole with an additional on March 21, 2020 in Birmingham. The work will be conducted by the BSO’s Chief Conductor Kirill Karabits with Catherine Foster in the demanding title role. This will be Foster’s first opera performance in the United {…}
The LA Opera has announced that star soprano Susan Graham will be extending her contract with the company as a mentor of the Domingo-Colburn-Stein Young Artists. Per a press release, the contract will be extended through the 2020-21 season. Graham has worked as Artistic Advisor with the company since 2017 and is in residence with the LA Opera for at {…}
The Hungarian State Opera is under fire for its recent revival of Gershwin’s “Porgy and Bess.” After performing a controversial production last season with an all-white cast, the house revived the production, again with an all-white cast, intentionally going against the Gershwin estates stipulations which indicate that the work should be performed by an all-black cast. However, according to Hungarian news, {…}
