This weekend will feature a ton of opera across North America, with companies opening a number of productions and others closing them up. First, let’s take a look at the new runs opening this week. Saratoga Opera’s “La Traviata” gets its first performances on Friday and Sunday while Opera Omaha presents its only two “Tosca” showcases of the year those {…}
Leos Janácek’s famed “Katja Kabanova” hits the internet live from the Vienna State Opera on Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2017. The performance comes courtesy of the company’s season-long streaming of its performances. The production, which is directed by André Engel and Ruth Orthman will be conducted by Graeme Jenkins and will feature Evelyn Herlitzius in the title role. Additionally, the cast {…}
Vincenzo Bellini isn’t the most revolutionary of opera composers. In fact, his work is rather simple and his operas, most of them featuring questionable libretti, are not necessarily the most complex dramatic works (with the exception of “Norma”). And yet, the composer, born on Nov. 3, 1801, is among the most beloved in the opera world and even earned the {…}
Wexford Festival Opera’s shortworks, performed during the afternoon at White’s, a local hotel, are small-scale productions of known and lesser-known works in a reduced format with piano accompaniment. The aim is to provide an opportunity for festival singers appearing in minor roles or the chorus to showcase their talents in more substantial roles. Of course, it also provides further opportunities {…}
For audiences not attending the Vienna State Opera’s “Adriana Lecouvreur” revival, Oe1 will broadcast it live on Nov. 12. The broadcast will star Anna Netrebko in her second production in the title role and her frequent onstage partner Piotr Beczala, who is making his role debut as Mauricio. It also stars Elena Zhidkova and Roberto Frontali. Marco Armiliato conducts the {…}
“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 features the Colombian classic {…}
Cennarium is giving a massive gift to opera fans the world over. This weekend, in celebration of Opera Week, the streaming service will showcase four different works. The festivities get started with “The Magic Flute” for Children and “The Circus Princess,” both on Saturday, Nov. 4 at 8 p.m. EST. The former is a condensed, 60-minute version of the Mozart {…}
The Lyric Opera of Chicago opened its season with a fabulous collaboration with the Joffrey Ballet with the French version of “Orphée et Eurydice.” It was a sensational production, although the fact that Gluck’s work doesn’t really feature a great amount of singing perhaps left a void for some hearty Lyric operagoers. Anybody who felt that way certainly had their {…}
Most countertenors make their careers out of singing traditional baroque repertoire. The voice type, so popular during the art form’s formative years, was extremely popular in its day with the major composers assigning leading roles to the countertenor. But that is no longer the case today, the countertenor is seen more as a novelty than a bonafide fixture in the {…}
Tenor Andrew Surrena will return to Sarasota Opera to sing “La Traviata.” The tenor will replace David Guzman, who was forced to withdraw from the production due to illness. Surrena, who last appeared in both Aida and Fidelio during the 2016 Winter Festival Season at Sarasota Opera, recently performed the lead tenor role in the world premiere of “Voir Dire” by Matthew Peterson and {…}
The Martina Arroyo Foundation’s 13th Annual Gala, a celebration of Prelude to Performance, Role Class and Outreach Programs, has announced its honorees. This year, the gala will honor legendary bass-baritone James Morris, rising star soprano Ailyn Pérez and Tony Award winners Chita Rivera and Tommy Tune. Rivera is best known for her work in “The Visit” and has won two Tonys and eight additional nominations. {…}