The Chicago Opera Theater has appointed Russian-born conductor Lidiya Yankovskaya to be its new Music Director, which will kick off during this coming season and see her appear more regularly with the company in 2018-19. The conductor has had an extensive career in the United States, where she is Artistic Director of Juventas New Music Ensemble, the Music Director with {…}
Missy Mazzoli’s opera “Breaking the Waves” has been a hit over the last year and now it has been recognized by the Music Critics Association of North America with the Best New Opera Award. This is actually the first time the organization awards this very accolade. Mazzoli and librettist Royce Vavrek will both be honored on July 19 at the {…}
The Teatro Regio di Torino has announced 2017-018 season showcasing a star-studded lineup. It all begins on Oct. 10, 2017, with Claus Guth’s production of “Tristan Und Isolde.” Peter Seiffert and Stefan Vinke share the role of Tristan with Ricarda Merbeth and Rachel Nicholls sharing Isolde. Gianandrea Noseda conducts all performances. Daniele Abbado’s production “Falstaff” arrives at the company on Nov. 15, 2017. {…}
Offenbach is regarded as one of the greatest operetta composers of his generation and is also recognized for his masterwork “Les Contes D’Hoffman.” His vocal writing is beloved and singers love performing his work. However, for most, his orchestral work and solo work often gets overlooked. One such example is his cello concerto. Let’s not forget that this master composer {…}
The flamboyant new production of Mozart’s “Don Giovanni,” a drama giocoso in two acts, was the brilliant ending of the 2016/2017 season of the Opéra de Lausanne. This was a remarkable event for the town, located in the French-speaking part of Switzerland on the picturesque shore of Lake Léman also known as Lake Geneva. Despite being one of the world’s {…}
Opera on Site (OSO) partners with the Darius Milhaud Society and the world renowned International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE) to bring to life the U.S. premiere of “La Mere Coupable” (The Guilty Mother) as part of the 2017 New York Opera Fest. On June 20 and 22 at 7:00 p.m. EST, Darius Milhauds’ fully staged work will be showcased at the {…}
As part of the New York Opera Fest’s 2017 culmination and celebration of opera around the area, Stefano Mazzonis di Pralafera will join the Martina Arroyo Foundation in the Master Series on June 21 at 7:00 p.m. EDT. Mazzonis is the General Artistic Director of Opera Royal de Wallonie-Liege and former General/ Artistic Director of Teatro Comunale di Bologna. He {…}
In an inspired piece of programming the Tiroler Landestheater, Innsbruck paired Strauss’ “Capriccio” with Gluck’s “Orphée et Eurydice,” which were performed over two consecutive evenings. Separated by more than 160 years and in fundamentally different styles, they are nevertheless natural companion pieces. Although ‘Capriccio’ makes both musical and verbal references to Gluck, the connections between the two operas run far {…}
Mezzo-soprano Sarah Connolly, baritone Gerald Finley, conductor Sir Mark Elder and composer George Benjamin have received high honors from the Queen of England. Connolly, now officially a Dame, was made Commander of the British Empire (CBE) back in 2010. “I felt deeply honored and amazed that anyone would write in on my behalf and nominate me. At first, I thought {…}
It may be wondered why Strauss decided to write an opera about the relative merits of the words and music in opera: “prima la musica o prima le parole?” Although it is a debate as old as opera itself, it is hardly a subject that is likely to excite potential audiences, and it is no doubt one of the reasons {…}
Jonas Kaufmann is quite frankly the most famous tenor in the world. Ever since his breakout, audiences have followed Kaufmann’s career transition from the lyric repertoire to the most dramatic pieces in the tenor fach. And this week Kaufmann adds what most consider the Mount Everest of all tenor roles, “Otello.” It is considered the most difficult role by tenors {…}