Anna Moffo, born on June 27, 1932, enjoyed one of the most varied opera careers in history. The American-born soprano studied in Italy on a Fulbright Scholarship and would immediately become a TV sensation in her 20s when she appeared on RAI as Cio-Cio San in “Madama Butterfly.” That was followed by more TV productions in “Falstaff” and “La Sonnambula.” {…}
The Washington National Opera will celebrate the eleventh season of free opera broadcasts at Nationals Park with Opera in the Outfield on Saturday, Sept. 29, 2018. The evening will showcase Rossini’s “The Barber of Seville,” in high-definition on the Nationals Park scoreboard at 7 p.m. Hosted by WNO Artistic Director Francesca Zambello, the production directed by Peter Kazaras is set to {…}
Independent company Operantics has announced a campaign to raise funds for its 2019 season. Operantics, an artist-run company, is launching the campaign with the support of the Australian Cultural Fund, where, per a press release, “supporters can make tax-deductible contributions towards the next chapter of the company’s story.” The campaign will feature fundraising recitals and performances that will all culminate {…}
Update: OperaWire has been informed that the San Francisco date will actually mark the first performance of the tour, though the exact time and place has yet to be defined. The article follows as originally published. “Maria Callas” will return to the stage this fall. Base Hologram, the company behind the technology that is bringing the famed diva “back to life,” {…}
Librettist Cerise Jacobs and composer Dan Visconti’s upcoming opera “ PermaDeath,” presented by White Snake Projects, is a work that combines music, theater, and cutting-edge technology, will also highlight Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). The opera features the story of gaming enthusiast Sonny, who is struggling with early stages of ALS. In the portrayal of the character, Jacobs has found the {…}
It has been a particularly heavy season at Opera Theatre of St. Louis, with an absolutely splendid run of Marc Blitzstein’s “Regina” and the emotionally-charged world premiere of Huang Ruo’s “An American Soldier.” It was thus welcome that the final production to debut this season, Gluck’s “Orfeo and Euridice,” provided an uplifting ending. This production by director Ron Daniels, though {…}
Sir Simon Rattle is retiring from the Berlin Philharmonic. Saturday night at the Waldbuehne, Berlin, was one of the farewell concerts. This one included his wife as guest artist – the superb mezzo-soprano, Magdalena Kozena. Despite the rain that drizzled on the 20,000+ people armed with blankets and ponchos, and its proximity to the concrete tower left over from the {…}
This week we see the release of two full operas and a compilation by Anna Netrebko. Here is a look at what this week will offer. Il Trovatore The Royal Opera and Opus Arte will release a production of Verdi’s ‘Il Trovatore” starring Gregory Kunde, Anita Rachvelshvili, Lianna Haroutounian, and Vitaly Bilyy. Richard Farnes conducts the production, which was directed {…}
Anna Netrebko has announced she will make her debut at the Arena di Verona. Together with general manager and artistic director Cecilia Gasdia and Yusif Eyvazov, Netrebko announced that she will sing in Franco Zeffirelli’s production of “Il Trovatore” during the 2019 Festival. Netrebko has won over Italian audiences over the past years singing at the Teatro alla Scala and Teatro {…}
Wolfgang Windgassen, born on June 26, 1914, is one of the greatest heldentenors of all time. He was actually born in France to two singers. His father Fritz Windgassen was a well-known heldentenor and his mother, Vali von der Osten, was a coloratura soprano. His aunt, Eva von der Osten, was the singer who created the role of Octavian in {…}
Born on June 26, 1916, baritone Giuseppe Taddei’s path to a successful career was rather unconventional. He studied in Rome and made his professional debut in “Lohengrin.” In 1942, he was conscripted into the army but returned to singing after World War II, appearing for two seasons in Vienna. He went to sing in London in 1947, followed by the {…}