Caramoor Festival 2017 Season: Angela Meade Celebrates The Festival’s 20th Anniversary Of Bel Canto At Caramoor In Bellini’s ‘Il Pirata’

Caramoor has announced its 2017 summer festival program. The festival, which comprises seven summer weeks of opera, orchestral, chamber, jazz, world and American roots music, family programs, young artist showcases, and sound artwork, will celebrate its 20th anniversary of Bel Canto at Caramoor with five summer operatic offerings The program will include two offering with 2017’s Artist in-Residence Angela Meade. Meade will headline Caramoor’s opening-night opera gala with tenor Santiago {…}

Jan 9, 2017

On This Day – How Rudolf Bing Transformed the Metropolitan Opera Forever

Rudolf Bing’s name towers in the world of opera. The Austrian-born impresario, born on January 9, 1902, has an enduring legacy, in many ways tainted by the scandals and feuds Bing was known to have with the opera’s greatest figures and lesser-known figures during many of the company’s most tumultuous years. But to see the general manager who wielded his {…}

Jan 9, 2017

Blowing Up Cliches for 50 Years – Spierman Duo On Past, Present & Future As Bronx Opera Turns 50

Running a family business is a tricky proposition. Running an opera company might be even harder. Combining the two into one requires some form of genius. That has been the accomplishment of Michael Spierman, who set out on a dream alongside other colleagues to salvage operatic culture in the Bronx. The fruit of that dream, the Bronx Opera flourished and {…}

Jan 9, 2017

Berlin Staatsoper Preview 2016-17: Sold Out ‘King Arthur’ Makes Rare Appearance

Henry Purcell’s “King Arthur” arrives at the Berlin Staatsoper on Sunday Jan. 15 in a run that has already reportedly sold out. According to the official website of the Staatsoper, all five runs of the production have no remaining tickets for those interested in witnessing the performance. The opera, written by librettist John Dryden, is rather unique in its construction. {…}

Jan 9, 2017

Vienna State Opera HD Preview 2016-17: Juan Diego Flórez, Daniela Fally & Luca Pisaroni Star in ‘La Sonnambula’

On Friday, Jan. 13, international audiences will get a chance to check out some of the world’s greatest singers perform Bellini’s “La Sonnambula” live from the Vienna State Opera as part of the company’s live stream offerings. The performance, which kicks off at 7:30 p.m. local time (that’s 1:30 p.m. for people on the East Coast in the U.S. and {…}

Jan 9, 2017

Artist of the Week: Pretty Yende to Take New York Audiences By Storm in Two Productions

Its rare to become an overnight sensation nowadays in the opera world. It takes years for some singers while others struggle to even get noticed and ink to obscurity. However, for Pretty Yende her career has taken a turn in places she least expected. This season the soprano is taking New York audiences by storm as she will sing two {…}

Jan 9, 2017

CD/DVD Releases -Week of Jan. 9: Renee Fleming Has The Perfect Way to Ring In The Year

After a week of no real releases, the Opera world is back in flux and this week will see a number of anticipated titles including DVDs and an album by Renee Fleming. Rene Fleming returns The People’s Diva is releasing her first solo album in three years. After taking a break from the studio Fleming is back with a unique {…}

Jan 7, 2017

Nino Machaidze Announces New Role After Puccini’s ‘La Boheme’ in Genève

Nino Machaidze will add the role of Nedda in Leoncavallo’s “Pagliacci” next season. The soprano confirmed the news on Instagram after her last performance of Puccini’s “La Bohème” at the Grand Theatre de Geneve. Machaidze wrote, “What a Wonderful end of 2016 and beginning of 2017 i had with our Fantastic ‘La Bohème’ at Grand Théâtre de Genève. An Unforgettable experience and {…}

Jan 7, 2017

Metropolitan Opera 2016-17 Preview: Peter Mattei, Javier Camarena, Pretty Yende Star in ‘Il Barbiere di Sivilgia’

Rossini’s famed “Il Barbiere di Sivilgia” or “The Barber of Seville” returns to the Metropolitan Opera on Monday, Jan. 9, 2017 with an all-star cast for a whopping 10 performances through early February. Here is a look at what to expect from the company’s revival of the beloved work. The Performers A few years ago, Peter Mattei made a name {…}

Jan 6, 2017

Marek Janowski to Replace Riccardo Chailly in Verdi Requiem

Riccardo Chailly has cancelled performances of the Verdi Requiem due to illness. The Italian conductor was scheduled to conduct three performances of the piece. Marek Janowski will now take over the run which is set to star soprano Maria Jose Siri and mezzo soprano Daniela Barcellona. Tenor Roberto Arnica will also join them alongside bass. Riccardo Zanellato. The Rundfunkchor Berlin will also perform {…}

Jan 6, 2017

Social Media Beat-Week (1/1-6) : Pretty Yende Meets Oprah Winfrey While Javier Camarena Says Goodbye to Count Almaviva

With the weekend coming up lets take a look at what some of our favorite stars were up to this week Pretty Yende Yende had the week of her life as she was rehearsing for the revival of Rossini’s “Il Barbiere di Siviglia” and in the middle of the week she got to perform on the Late Show for Stephen {…}