“Opera Meets Film” is a feature dedicated to exploring the way that opera has been employed in cinema. We will select a section or a film in its entirety, highlighting the impact that utilizing the operatic form or sections from an opera can alter our perception of a film that we are viewing. This week’s installment features Luc Besson’s “The {…}
The Atlanta Opera will preview its 2017-18 season on Sunday, Oct. 29, 2017. Entitled “Opera With An Edge,” the concert will showcase musical moments from many of the major productions that the company will put on this season. Among those will be performances from “The Flying Dutchman,” “La Fille du Régiment,” “Carmen,” and “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet {…}
Carmen Giannattassio has canceled her role debut in “I Masnadieri” at Opéra de Bilbao. The company announced that the soprano will no longer sing the role of Amalia due to health reasons. As a result, Federica Vitali will take over the role in the same production she performed at the Festival de Parma in 2016 in her debut in Bilbao. The soprano will {…}
The Verdi Chorus has announced its fall concert, “Love’s Passions and Potions,” which will feature two performances at the First United Methodist Church in Santa Monica, California, on November 18th and 19th. The concert will showcase selections from Verdi’s “Giovanna d’Arco” and “Un Ballo in Maschera,” Donizetti’s “Lucia di Lammermoor” and “The Elixir of Love,” Massenet’s “Manon,” and even some selections from Romberg’s “The Student Prince,” among others. The {…}
The fate of letters by composer Giuseppe Verdi hangs in the balance later this month. Per The Times, opera experts are urging the Italian government to buy up a massive amount of correspondence at an auction, lest they be purchased by a private collector and be lost to the public eye for the foreseeable future. “If another collector gets his {…}
Canadian production company Soundstreams will be presenting the world premiere of “Musik fur das Ende,” which follows the life of Quebecois composer Claude Vivier and draws upon his various works. The production will run from Oct. 27 to Nov. 4 as part of Canada’s 150th anniversary celebration. “Musik fur das Ende” will be a three-part show staged in Crow’s Theatre, a locale {…}
The hotly anticipated production of Verdi’s five-act grand opera “Don Carlos” opened at the Opéra National de Paris on 10 October to a mixed reception. The outstanding cast comprised of German tenor Jonas Kaufmann in the title role, French baritone Ludovic Tézier as Rodrigo, Marquis of Posa, Russian basses Ildar Abdrazakov and Dmitry Belosselskiy as Philippe II and the Grand {…}
On Dec. 2 through Dec. 4 of 2017, Lyric Opera of Chicago will hold ensemble auditions for their 2018 production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Jesus Christ Superstar.” After winning the 2016 Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival, this production will be redesigned for the Lyric Opera House in Chicago, Illinois. Timothy Sheader will serve as director, Drew McOnie will choreograph it, and {…}
During the 19th century “Fra Diavolo,” written by Auber to a libretto by Scribe, was one of France’s most popular operas, amassing over 900 performances at the Opéra Comique, before finally being dropped from the repertoire in 1907. Nowadays, it has largely been forgotten, with only the occasional rare outing, of which Opera Roma’s is the latest offering. Yet, based {…}
On Oct. 10 it was announced that mezzo-soprano and opera director Brigitte Fassbaender will receive the prestigious Echo Klassik award for her contributions to the stage. Born on 1939 to parents who both worked in the performing arts, Fassbaender first began her career studying to be an actress like her mother, Sabine Peters. Shortly after, she began her tutelage under her {…}
Platea Magazine has announced Sonya Yoncheva’s upcoming album. According to the online magazine, the soprano is set to release an album dedicated to Giuseppe Verdi featuring arias and duets. The album coincides with the sopranos upcoming Verdi tour this season with her brother tenor Marin Yonchev, who is also featured on the new album. The album will be conducted by Riccardo {…}