The Houston Grand Opera and its Artistic and Music Director Patrick Summers have announced that Ana María Martinez will join the artistic team as the first-ever artistic advisor. Martinez will begin her new post this season and it will be a three-year appointment. In her new position, the soprano will advise on casting and future productions, mentor the HGO Studio artists, {…}
Soprano Erin Morley is one of opera’s most sought-after lyric coloraturas, having wowed audiences and critics alike in such quintessential coloratura roles as Zerbinetta in “Ariadne auf Naxos,” Sophie in “Der Rosenkavalier,” Cunegonde in “Candide,” and, Olympia in “Les Contes d’Hoffmann.” In early January, the Salt Lake City native finished her debut run as Pamina in “The Magic Flute” at {…}
Sentimentality is possibly one of the most dishonest emotions we, as human beings, experience. It is also a destructive force in that it inserts a filter between reality and our perceptions, we cease to see the world as it is, but rather allow ourselves to construct a self-indulgent version, in which our feelings are deliberately accentuated or even completely manufactured, {…}
What is “La Liberazione di Ruggiero?” No doubt that this very opera profile might strike some curiosity from unknowing readers. Its importance is tantamount to the art form, especially in the 21st century. Simply put, “La Liberazione di Ruggiero” is the first opera composed by a woman. Moreover, it was also one of the first works to shift the narrative {…}
Few artists go through as many transitions as Helga Dernesch did in her career. Born on Feb. 3, 1939, the Austrian artist started her career as a mezzo before transitioning to a lyric soprano. From there she would turn into a dramatic soprano and in her later career she returned to a mezzo. She studied at the Vienna Hochschule für {…}
Most musicologists concur that Handel did a major cut and paste job on “Rinaldo,” as more than two thirds of the score was cribbed from earlier compositions. There are also three versions of this tremendously successful opera from 1711, 1717 and 1731. Depending on singers’ availability and vocal condition, innumerable nips and tucks occurred at almost all 53 performances during Handel’s {…}
The Washington National Opera is set to present Tchaikovsky’s “Eugene Onegin” for the first time in 30 years. The company will revive Robert Carsen’s classic production, originally created for the Metropolitan Opera. In the lead roles, the company has lined up two Bolshoi Opera singers. In the title role, baritone Igor Golovatenko will make his American and WNO debut and {…}
Franz Welser-Möst has canceled his participation in the Staatsoper under den Linden’s upcoming production of “Die Zauberflote.” The company announced that the Cleveland music director was forced to pull out due to knee surgery. As a result, Alondra de la Parra will take over the run. De la Parra is a rising star who is the music director of the Queensland {…}
Lise Lindstrom has announced that she will sing the role of Brünnhilde in Wagner’s “Siegfried” at the Deutsche Oper am Rhein. The soprano announced via social media that she would be jumping in for a colleague this Sunday Feb. 3, 2019 and the following weekend. She said, “I am thrilled to be asked to sing Brünnhilde in Duisburg this Sunday and {…}
February 3 marks the anniversary of the world premiere of “La Liberazione di Ruggiero,” the first opera composed by a woman, Francesca Caccini. History shows us that there have been a number of women composers in opera, and recent decades have seen that number increase. And yet, many still do not know about the women composers and their works. So {…}
Sanford Sylvan, celebrated American baritone, has died on Jan. 29, 2019. The cause of death is unknown at this time, but it is believed to be the result of a respiratory infection. Born on Dec. 19, 1953, Sylvan would study at the Manhattan School of Music before going on to enjoy a successful career in the performing arts, singing with {…}