The Hawaii Opera Theatre has announced its 2019-20 season. The season will feature three productions of some of the most beloved operas. The season opens with Puccini’s “Tosca” conducted by HOT Principal Conductor/Artistic Director Emmanuel Plasson. Performance Dates: Oct. 11, 13, 15, 2019 The second production of the season will be Mozart’s “Le Nozze di Figaro” featuring Starring Ryan Kuster in {…}
The New York City Opera has announced it will bring back Bryant Park’s highly popular free summer performing arts series. The popular series will present three concert performances showcasing two popular operas and one concert celebrating pride month. The series opens with Puccini’s “La Bohème” with stars of New York City Opera. Performance Date: May 20, 2019 The second concert in {…}
The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra has announced its 2019-20 season. For the purposes of this article, we will focus on vocal performances. Soprano Anna Crookes will be joined by flutist Fiona Fulton, cellist Jonathan Aasgaard, and pianist Ian Buckle of Pixels Ensemble to perform works by Hildegard of Bingen, Dani Howard, George Crumb, Luciano Berio, and Maurice Ravel. Performance Date: {…}
Boston Lyric Opera will receive a $30,000 Art Works grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. The grant will support the fall 2019 production of Leoncavallo’s tragic opera “Pagliacci,” which will open the season on Sept. 27. Out of 1,500 applicants in its category, BLO is one of 977 institutions chosen to receive the grant (which typically ranges $10,000 {…}
As New York Opera Fest continues, audiences are treated to performances of vibrant contemporary works, as well as exciting classical ones. Regina Opera’s production of “Il Trovatore” serves as a strong example of the latter, favoring a traditional approach to staging that highlighted the unfolding musical drama while taking very little away. Add to this a passionate cast of artists {…}
This weekend showcases popular works with one dominating Spain. There is a popular zarzuela with two important rising stars and the start of a new season. Check it out. La Traviata – Teatro Cafam, Colombia The Fundación Arte Lírico en Coproducción con el Ministerio de Cultura de España will begin a four-week long season of opera and Zarzuela. Verdi’s masterpiece {…}
Birgit Nilsson was born on May 17, 1918. She left a mark as big as her voice on the “Hochdramatischer Sopran” repertory of the post war era. Her wonderful Tosca and Turandot, her sublime Elektra and her incomparable Isolde and Brünnhilde are among the finest interpretations of those roles in history. In celebration of this famed diva, we take a look {…}
This weekend features a number of unique opera experiences on offer. For our selections, we went with rare and new works being presented by interesting companies that might not always get the limelight. The Tsar’s Bride – Bel Cantanti Opera Rimsky-Korsakov’s “The Tsar’s Bride” is a major repertory staple in Europe, but you could count its American productions on one {…}
I will admit that I came to my appreciation of Mahler’s Symphony No 3 later than the rest of his masterpieces. And attending the recent, dynamic performance mounted by conductor Leon Botstein, leading The Bard College Conservatory Orchestra with the addition of the college’s Chamber Singers, Festival Chorale, and a ‘Preparatory’ Chorus, I understood why that was. Mind you, right {…}
On May 11, 2019, Paulo Szot concluded his latest show at Feinstein’s/54 Below as part of his international tour. The program celebrated the musical partnership of Frank Sinatra and Brazilian composer Antonio Carlos Jobim, with Szot reflecting on their influence on his own artistry. Backed by pianist and Music Director Klaus Mieller, bassist Itaiguara Brandrao, and drummer David Sillman, Szot {…}
The Angel’s Share will present “Epilogues and Epitaphs” with countertenor Daniel Moody and violinist Augusta McKay Lodge. The performances, set for June 24-26 at the Greenwood Cemetery in Brooklyn, will also feature Voyage Sonique, which is comprised of cellist Keiran Campbel, theorbo player Adam Cockerham, and harpsichordist Robert Warner. The ensemble will perform Rebel’s “Tombeau de Lully,” Handel’s “Waft her {…}
