Carlo Bergonzi was one of the leading Italian tenors of the Golden era of the 20th century. Known for his elegant phrasing, Bergonzi built up his career dominating in the repertoire of one particular composer (more on that later). Born on July 13, 1924, Bergonzi’s career actually started off as a baritone before he eventually realized that he was a {…}
This Review is for the performance on Sunday, June 17th. The River to River Festival, presented by the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council (LMCC), showcased Marisa Michelson and Royce Vavrek’s “Naamah’s Ark” in Rockefeller Park at the start of this year’s 76th season. This community oratorio included seven ensembles and six soloists – Victoria Clark, as Naamah, Cantor Rebecca Garfein of Congregation {…}
The Genoa council has approved the dedication of a street in the name of soprano Daniela Dessì. The proposal by Luca Pirandoni, de Movimiento Cinco Estrellas was given a unanimous vote. According to the proposal, Dessì was a Genoa world ambassador as she traveled around the world working in the best theaters, directors and was recognized for her vocal and {…}
The Philadelphia Orchestra will be back in 2019 to showcase Puccini’s “Tosca” as Bravo! Vail Music Festival’s debut opera production. Performances are set for July 11 and 13, 2019 at the outdoor Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater. The announcement was made by Bravo! Vail’s Music Festival’s Artistic Director Anne-Marie McDermott during a concert by the ensemble, as led by Yannick Nézet-Séguin. {…}
Performances of Bellini’s melodrama, “Il Pirata,” at the Teatro alla Scala have, over the years, been few and far between. Originally written for the theatre in 1827, and starring the celebrated soprano, Henriette Méric-Lalande as Imogene and the famous tenor Giovanni Battista Rubini as Gualtiero, it was roundly deemed to be a success, and quickly received two revivals, one in {…}
What hasn’t been said about Kirsten Flagstad? She was once famously called the greatest voice of the 20th century and her legacy certainly bears this out. There is a museum in her honor in her homeland of Norway and her picture appears on Norwegian Air Shuttle planes. Born on July 12, 1895, in Norway, she received early musical training in {…}
“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 will look at “Marguerite.” {…}
On Site Opera, in partnership with MetLiveArts at The Metropolitan Museum of Art and American Lyric Theater, has been awarded a Female Composer Grant from Opera America. The grant will help create and produce “Lady Murasaki and the Tale of Genji,” a one-act, site-specific opera composed by Michi Wiancko with a libretto by Deborah Brevoort. The work will premiere in {…}
Parma Recording is set to release a chamber opera “Two Cells in Sevilla, or: Don Quixote is Hungry.” The album will feature the father-son duo Walter Steffens and Marec Béla Steffens, who have weaved the stories of an unlikely pair of authors locked in an exciting competition. The libretto, written by Marec Béla Steffens, merges the lives of Brother Gabriel {…}
The LA Opera is set to continue its free live simulcast series “Opera in the Park” with “Verdi’s “Don Carlo.” The company will present the work on Sept. 22, 2018, which is set to star Plácido Domingo, Ramón Vargas, Ana María Martinez, Anna Smirnova, Ferruccio Furlanetto, and Alexandre Vinogradov. James Conlon will conduct the production by Ian Judge. The high definition {…}
Much is said these days about Plácido Domingo’s expansive repertoire, but before him, Nicolai Gedda was arguably the man to tackle the most works in recent opera history. So vast was his repertoire that the Swedish tenor, born on July 11, 1925, performed operas in Italian, French, English, Czech, Swedish, Russian, German, and even Latin. He left behind over 200 {…}
