Eva Marton, born on June 18, 1943, is arguably the most famous Hungarian soprano of the last few decades. She studied at the Franz Liszt Academy and made her professional debut at Hungary’s Margaret Island Summer Festival. Then at the Hungarian State Opera, she appeared for the first time in “The Golden Cockerel” in 1968. From there she made her {…}
This Tuesday, June 26, 2018, the Vienna State Opera streams a live performance of Wagner’s “Lohengrin.” The showcase is part of the company’s season-long service straight from its website. Per the official website, the Wagner work will feature Jongmin Park, Christopher Ventris, Annette Dasch, Jukka Rasilainen, Elena Zhidkova, and Adrian Eröd. Sebastian Weigle leads the massive score in a production {…}
Igor Stravinsky is one of the greatest composers of the 20th century, born on June 17, 1882. Stravinsky grew up in St. Petersburg, Russia and was taken with music from an early age. He studied piano and music theory as a child, though he received a great deal of discouragement from the likes of famed composer Alexander Glazunov. He was {…}
Charles Gounod is one of the great composers of French opera. Born on June 17, 1818, in Paris, he learned the piano with his mother, a pianist, from a young age. He then entered the Paris Conservatoire and won a prize for his cantata “Fernand” in 1839. Despite attempts of becoming a priest, he resumed composition, his first opera “Sapho” premiering {…}
Mezzo-soprano Mignon Dunn enjoyed a celebrated vocal career that she has now transformed into a legendary one as a teacher. Born on June 17, 1928, in Tennessee, she studied under Karen Branzell and Beverley Peck Johnson. On Sept. 8, 1955, she made her official debut with the Experimental Opera Theatre of America / New Orleans Opera Association. The opera in {…}
Born on June 17, 1967, German soprano Dorothea Röschmann has enjoyed a solid career to date. The soprano studied at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater Hamburg before heading to Bremen, Los Angeles, Tel Aviva, and London. Her 1995 Salzburg debut as Susanna in “Le Nozze di Figaro” gave her international repute and since, she has performed all over the {…}
What was it like to see Maria Callas? There are still many that can recall the experience of seeing the great diva take the stage, but there will come a time when they will no longer be around. Many are already resigned to watching old videos or listening to old recordings, but there are some that have different ideas. In {…}
The cast of “Il Viaggio a Reims” with Juan Diego Flórez and friends has been announced. The concert performance is set to star Spanish singers Ruth Iniesta as Corinna, Marina Monzó as Contessa di Folleville, Carmen Romeu as Madama Cortese, and Xabier Anduaga as Cavalier Belfiore. Juan Diego Flórez will sing the role of Conte di Libenskof while Anna Goryachova will sing the role of Marchesa Melibea. The rest of the cast will {…}
Tenor Jerry Hadley, born on June 16, 1952, is one of the most renowned American tenors of all time, showcasing versatility in opera, operetta, and even Broadway. He was born in Illinois and initiated his career studying conducting. Eventually, he shifted to becoming a singer and earned a number of leading roles in his graduate years at the University of {…}
Happy Father’s Day to all the fathers out there. Opera is rife with fathers, many of whom are some of the greatest characters in the artform. But which of opera’s famous father’s is most closely related to your own father. Take this quiz, tell us about your father and find out which opera dad best resembles him! As always, have {…}
Helen Traubel was one of the great Wagnerian sopranos during the early 20th century. The problem was – her career was often overlooked because another great Wagnerian soprano was at her peak. That soprano, of course, was Kirsten Flagstad. Traubel, who was born on June 16, 1899, still managed a solid career emerging on the opera stage for the first {…}