Carmen Giannattasio is one of the consummate singing actresses of today, her soprano able to take on a wide range of repertoire that includes the works of Verdi, Puccini, Leoncavallo, Bellini, Rossini, and Donizetti. In recent years, we’ve seen her move into more dramatic territory with recent forays into such works as “I Masnadieri.” Now she is taking another step {…}
OperaVision will start streaming the world premiere production of composer Iiro Rantala and librettist Minna Lindgren’s “Sanatorio Express” live from the Finnish National Opera and Ballet on Oct. 2, 2018. The new opera will feature Johanna Rusanen as a soprano, Päivi Nisula as a Receptionist, Hannu Niemelä as a Healer, Markus Nykänen as a Tenor, and Waltteri Torikka as a {…}
The Vienna State Opera will live stream a performance of Donizetti’s quintessential comedy “Don Pasquale” this Saturday, Oct. 6, 2018. The performance will be led by conductor Evelino Pidò and will star Ambrogio Maestri, René Barbera, Gabriel Bermúdez, and Andrea Carroll. This is the final performance for this cast; the company will showcase a new group of singers for its {…}
The Met Opera will kick off its Live in HD series this Saturday, Oct. 6, 2018, with a performance of Verdi’s “Aida.” The broadcast, which kicks off 12:55 p.m. Eastern time, will showcase star soprano Anna Netrebko in the title role; this is just the second production of the famed opera that she takes on. This is the first of {…}
Over the last few months, one of the biggest headlines has been the announcement that the Bayreuth Festival would be taking its forces to Abu Dhabi for a couple of performances of Wagner’s “Die Walküre.” The Bayreuth Festival isn’t known for traveling abroad for its productions and Abu Dhabi is not among the recognized homes of opera. But this shift {…}
It’s Podcast Day! While relatively new, podcasts are a major part of how we consume information about virtually any topic to our heart’s content. The audio format has become a key to connecting with opera audiences around the world and in honor of the day, we are going to highlight some of our favorite podcasts that we feel you should {…}
The Merola Opera Program has announced that it will establish a new Advisory Council. Per a press release, the council will be made up of “leaders in the field of opera performance, young artist training, arts administration, performing arts, and philanthropy.” These leaders will include San Francisco Opera General Director Emeritus David Gockley, mezzo-soprano Susan Graham, composer Jake Heggie; Seattle Opera General Director {…}
Turkish mezzo Ezgi Karakaya is the winner of the ninth annual Leyla Gencer Voice Competition. She also took home the audience award. The second place winner was German-Italian mezzo Anna Doris Capitelli with Polish tenor Piotr Buszewski coming in third place. Karakaya walks away with a 12,500 euro prize while Doris gets 7,500 euros and Buszewski wins 3,500 euros. It {…}
Experiments in Opera has announced the first serial podcast opera “Buick City, 1:00 AM.” The work, by Jason Cady, will launch four episodes with the first coming on Nov. 6, 2018. Episodes two, three, and four are set to launch on Nov. 13, 20, and 27, respectively. “Buick City, 1 AM” will tell the story of a woman traveling back {…}
Mill City Summer Opera has announced its new artistic director to lead the company in its 2019 production of Mozart’s “Così Fan Tutte.” Crystal Manich will take on the post, amplifying a career that has seen her direct all around the United States, Argentina, and Australia. “Not only does Crystal have vast experience and knowledge of the operatic repertoire, but {…}
Francesca Zambello will continue to be a major fixture at the Washington National Opera through the 2020-21 season. The famed director has extended her contract as Artistic Director for three more years following a unanimous vote by the WNO Board of Trustees. “Francesca has transformed WNO since her arrival, and her retention as artistic director was vital in serving the {…}