Angela Gheorghiu has canceled her participation in the Special Concert: Giuseppe Verdi at the Deutsche Oper Berlin. As a result, three sopranos will take over the repertoire Gheorghiu was originally intended to perform. Nicole Car, Irina Churilova, and Seyoung Park will all take turns singing arias from “Il Trovatore,” “La Forza del Destino,” “Otello,” and “Simon Boccanegra.” Car is currently {…}
What could be a more wondrous opera evening than a marvelous ensemble performance that showcases a brilliant opera star? Salzburg’s Whitsun Festval’s “L’Italiana in Algeri” was one such instance. Directed by Moise Leise and Patrick Caurier, and headlining mezzo-soprano par excellence Cecilia Bartoli, the production exceeded all expectations. This Opera Buffa, written when Rossini was a mere 21-years-old and here conducted {…}
James King, born on May 22, 1925, would go onto a prolific career as a heldentenor. But it took him a long way to get there. In fact, he didn’t make his debut as a tenor until 1961 when he was in his mid-30s. The reason for this is that his initial studies had led him down the path of {…}
Musica Viva NY, a chamber choir, under the artistic direction of Dr. Alejandro Hernandez-Valdez, has announced its 2018-19 season. The season will include music from Joseph Turrin, Leonard Bernstein to Poulenc and Duruflé. Season Information The season kicks off with a benefit concert on Sept. 23, at All Souls Church entitled “Songs of Love,” featuring songs by Brahms, Schumann, and P.D.Q. Bach, performed {…}
Harmonia Mundi dominates this week’s releases with three rarely performed pieces and all-star casts. Here is a look. Schubert Mass Harmonia Mundi will release Schubert’s Mass in A Flat featuring Anke Vondung, Anna Korondi, Andreas Karasiak, and Kay Stiefermann. The recording features the Orchestre des Champs-Elysse and conductor Herreweghe. Dido and Aeneas Purcell’s “Dido and Aeneas” stars Lynne Dawson, Rosemary {…}
Little Opera is giving elementary students the ultimate opera challenge. Twenty-nine elementary school-aged students in San Francisco were challenged to listen to all 15 hours of Wagner’s Ring Cycle. Little Opera students in grades K-5 started the 20-day listen-a-thon challenge last week, led by Little Opera student advisory board members Solveig Libicki and Danah Aroonchaipirom. According to the student Advisors, {…}
On May 20, 2018, Regina Opera Company concluded its first run of Giuseppe Verdi’s timeless “Aida.” While it is a work that is by no means underperformed around the world, this production comes as a loving tribute to the late Marie Cantoni, who founded the company back in 1970 with Nicholas Tierno. The experience the company has gained since then {…}
Plácido Domingo and Juan Diego Flórez will sing at the opening of the World Cup. The two superstars confirmed that they will join the already announced Anna Netrebko, Yusif Eyvazov, Aida Garifullina, Albina Shagimuratova, Ildar Abdrazakov, and pianist Denis Matsuev in Red Square on June 13. They will also be joined by Valery Gergiev and the Mariinsky Orchestra. Roberto Alagna will {…}
Richard Wagner might just be the greatest composer in opera history. That, of course, depends on how you view the likes of Mozart and Verdi. But Wagner is easily in the top three in any discussion, his works revolutionizing the entire artform. Born on May 22, 1813, Wagner lived a tumultuous life created by his own very unstable personality. But {…}
The Komische Oper in Berlin has soared in reputation under the leadership of Barrie Kosky for its innovative programming. It is regarded as the destination in town for rarely-performed opera works. Scheduling an opera trip in Berlin is full of challenges and my maiden journey to the Komische was for the altogether familiar “Eugene Onegin” by Tchaikovsky on Saturday night {…}
James Conlon has been named “Commendatore della Repubblica Italiana” by Italy’s president. The honor is one of the highest granted directly by the President through the Order of Merit, established in 1951, and the highest Order of the Italian Republic. The title was granted to acknowledge “merits achieved for the nation in the fields of literature, arts, economics, and in the fulfillment {…}