You won’t find any modern works in this weekend’s recommendations. In fact, the big offerings around the U.S. center on the standard repertory with perhaps one exception (and that might not be much of one). Here are our picks (in alphabetical order by company). Eugene Onegin – The Atlanta Opera Tchaikovsky’s masterwork will get a showcase at The Atlanta Opera {…}
Lucina Amara, born on March 1, 1925, is one of the sopranos to perform most often at the Metropolitan Opera. The Connecticut native was raised in San Francisco, where she sang with the San Francisco Opera Chorus. In 1946 she made her concert debut after studies at the Music Academy of the West and she appeared at the Hollywood Bowl {…}
It’s a weekend filled with rarely performed works and many singers in role debut runs. It’s also a weekend with new productions and important revivals. Here is a look at what we think you should see. Werther – Opera Australia, Australia Michael Fabiano stars in the title role of Massenet’s masterpiece, continuing the run of his role debut. He is {…}
Galina Gorchakova was one of the Russian sopranos to dominate during the 1990s. Born in Novokuznetsk on March 1, 1961, to opera singers, her family moved to Novosibirsk, Siberia where she did all of her major training. She would become a leading soprano in Sverdlovsk and then went on to audition for Valery Gergiev at the Mariinsky Theatre. In 1991, {…}
Gioachino Rossini, born on Feb. 29, 1729, is one of the great masters of Italian Opera. He was born in Pesaro and began to compose at the age of 12. He premiered his first opera “La Cambiale Di Matrimonio” in Venice in 1812 when he was just 18. Five years later, he was being engaged to write operas all over {…}
Like a prank fallen flat, Jan Philipp Gloger’s 2016 production of “Così fan tutte” is loaded with unfunny clichés the audience always sees coming. Boasting cardboard imitations of forests, a doctor’s costume making its Despina look like Jesus Christ, huge placards with classic fonts spelling out the Italian words “fedeltà,” “amore” and others, some parts are embarrassing to watch. With {…}
On March 1, 2019, Mastervoice is set to present a program entitled “Night Songs & Love Waltzes” featuring 19th-Century Romantic German Song as well as a world premiere commission. The concert will also feature a stellar cast of international singers and a piano duo. In preparation for the concert, OperaWire had a chance to speak with Artistic Director Ted Sperling about {…}
The Boston Court Pasadena is set to showcase a staged concert of a new opera “The Passion of McQueen” on March 1, 2019. The work tells the story of famed couture designer Alexander McQueen in work written by William Nedved and with music by Kentaro Kameyama, who is also a fashion designer and “Project Runway” winner. The staged concert will {…}
The Pittsburgh Festival Opera has announced that Christopher M. Powell will be its new Executive Director. He will take up the position on March 12, 2019, and lead the festival into its 42nd edition. Powell has worked as Director of Artistic Initiatives at the Glimmerglass Festival and was also Co-Executive Producer of the podcast “Breaking Glass.” He also served as {…}
Claude Vivier’s “Kopernikus” is set for some major performances in both Toronto and New York over the next few months. First up, the Ritual Opera for the Dead gets a series of showcases in Ontario, Canada starting on April 4, 2019. Subsequent presentations are set for April 5, 6, 11, 12 and 13. The work will be directed by Joel {…}
The Royal Opera House has revealed the dates that audiences in the U.S. can catch some of their recent filmed performances. The company’s recent “The Queen of Spades” is set to hit major markets on March 12, 2019, while “La Traviata” will start appearing on March 19, 2019. “La Traviata” was a major success, featuring soprano Ermonela Jaho in a {…}