At age 14, Riccardo Frizza decided he wanted nothing to do with opera. The catalyst? Bellini’s “I Puritani.” “I was studying in the conservatory and they took us to see ‘I Puritani,’” the famed conductor told OperaWire in an exclusive interview. “I thought it was so boring. It was a mistake to take me to see that first before any {…}
On Jan. 24, 1835 Bellini premiered his final opera, “Puitani.” Despite being beloved for its beautiful melodies and incredible coloratura challenges, the opera is also known for its ludicrous story line. This season the Metropolitan Opera is presenting the work with an all star cast and a new diva. The Met has always used the opera as a showcase for {…}
For those who missed the Silver Gala from Baden Baden on New Years Eve, Arte will present it on March 19, 2017. The concert, which rung in the New Year starred Sonya Yoncheva and Piotr Beczala and was condcuted by Yoncheva’s husband Domingo Hindoyan. The concert was divided into two parts. The first included popular arias and duets from opera {…}
Jonas Kaufmann recently made his big return to the opera world after a long hiatus and he’s releasing major news on a daily basis. The latest news features the tenor performing at the famed Vienna Opera Ball on Feb. 23, 2017. This would mark his first invitation to the annual event, which is one of the major social events of {…}
Amore Opera has just announced its next two opera productions for May and June with gypsies dominating their thematic material. The company’s main website revealed that Bizet’s “Carmen” and Donizetti’s “La Zingara” would be taking the stage to close out the 2017-18 season. The former work is one of the best known in the entire repertoire while the latter is {…}
The Los Angeles Opera’s 2017-18 season promises to feature a number of major classics and some new works as well. Carmen In total there are eight operas, including “Carmen” which kicks off the new season on Sept. 9. The 6-show run stars Ana María Martinez in the title role while Amanda Woodbury plays Michaela. Alexander Vinogradov portrays Escamillo and James {…}
The Washington National Opera has just announced its 2017-18 season. Aida The company will kick off the year with a new production of Verdi’s “Aida.” Directed by Francesca Zambello, the new production will be co-produced with San Francisco Opera, Seattle Opera, and Minnesota Opera. The opening performance takes place on Sept. 9 and the run lasts until Sept. 23, a {…}
What do Giuseppe Di Stefano, Mirella Freni and Fritz Wunderlich have in common? While the three opera stars never collaborated, they had a massive impact of Joel Prieto’s formative years. The tenor recently told OperaWire, in an exclusive interview, about how these three icons of opera transformed his life completely and still do in many ways. Early Turning Points It {…}
This week two new DVDs will be released featuring some of the greatest singers in the world. Puccini’s “Turandot” The first of Riccardo Chailly’s Puccini series will be released this week from Decca Classics. The DVD, which was recorded in 2015 features an all star cast that includes Nina Stemme, Maria Agresta and Aleksandrs Antonenko. The new DVD has the {…}
A month ago Russell Thomas surprised Metropolitan Opera audiences with his immense voice and gleaming high notes. The role was the small but crucial part of Ismaele in Verdi’s “Nabucco.” While this is a character that can sometimes be ignored, Thomas brought undisputed star power to it. With such a big breakout, Thomas is set for another milestone in his {…}
Robert Alagna has announced that he will sing the role of Manrico in Verdi’s “Il Trovatore” at the Opera National de Paris. The tenor posted the news on Facebook and revealed that he will sing the role alongside Ekaterina Semenchuk, Gabriele Viviani and Elena Stikhina. The production will be conducted by Maurizio Benini and Alagna will only be doing the June {…}
