Opera Tampa has named guest conductors for the 2017-2018 season. The news comes after the resignation of previous artistic director Daniel Lipton. The result is three conductors for the company. The first will be Jorge Parodi, now a vocal coach and music director of the Senior Opera Theater at the Manhattan School of Music. The Argentine native will conduct Rossini’s “The {…}
Sharon Sweet and Krassimira Stoyanova. Two sopranos born on August 16 with rather different careers. The former was a well-known American dramatic soprano who took on a wide range of Italian and German repertoire, most prominently singing operas by Wagner and Verdi. The latter, a Bulgarian with a far lighter voice, has slowly dug into that very same dramatic repertoire, {…}
The New Amsterdam Opera has announced a Sweet Surprise Salon to benefit the company. The NAO announced that Sandra Lopez, Olivia Vote, Aaron Blake, and Kyle Pfortmiller will join the company on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2017 for a special concert with legendary Ira Siff as Master of Ceremonies. Artistic Director Keith Chambers who will perform on the piano. The company did not reveal the location as {…}
Within Wagner’s famed tetralogy, the third installment, “Siegfried,” might be the least popular or well-known. But there is no doubt that it is as crucial as any and might actually be the one most important in establishing dramatic balance across the four works. Among its major dramatic tasks is establishing the “Ring Cycle’s” major hero and bridging the musico-dramatic gap {…}
This review is for the performance on August 4, 2017 and was written in collaboration with Editor-in-Chief David Salazar. “Va pensiero,” the famous chorus from Verdi’s “Nabucco” is often cited as an unofficial national anthem for Italy and proved as such throughout the Risorgimento when the country was battling for its independence from the Austrian Empire. The choral passage, with {…}
Colombia’s Teatro Estudio at the Teatro Mayor Julio Mario Santo Domingo will showcase a recital featuring baritone Günter Haumer and the Cuarteto Q Arte Colombia this Saturday, August 19, 2017. The program, which starts at 8 p.m. CT will kick off Othmar Schoeck’s “Notturno, Op. 47,” which was composed in 1933. After an intermission, Samuel Barber’s “Dover Beach, Op. 3,” {…}
The Washington National Opera (WNO) has announced that American soprano Leah Crocetto will sing the title role of “Aida” in performances on September 10, 15, and 17 replacing American soprano Amber Wagner, who has withdrawn from the production for personal reasons. WNO Artistic Director and Aida director Francesca Zambello said, “We are incredibly fortunate that an artist of the caliber {…}
Maria Agresta has withdrawn from the San Francisco Opera’s upcoming production of Puccini’s “Turandot” due to illness. The company announced that American soprano Toni Marie Palmertree will sing Liù, replacing Agresta and will now perform in all six September performances. Palmertree scored a triumph last season when she substituted for an ailing colleague on two hours’ notice as Cio-Cio-San in Puccini’s “Madama Butterfly.” {…}
Walter Scott, born on August 15, 1771, is among the most important English-language writers, his works essential parts of the literary canon. In fact, he created some true masterpieces that would go on to inspire some of the greatest opera composers as well. Here is a look at the important operas based on the works of Scott. Ivanhoe Scott’s most {…}
“Dream of the Red Chamber,” commissioned by San Francisco Opera from Chinese-American composer Bright Sheng with a libretto by Sheng and playwright David Henry Hwang, will tour to the People’s Republic of China in September 2017. In a press conference, it was unveiled that “Dream of the Red Chamber” will travel to three Chinese cities in six performances. The tour {…}
Of course, it is impossible – to rewrite, even for opera, Shakespeare’s masterpiece. It is untouchable, even if the Bard wouldn’t have sized up the various Folios and Quartos and come up with a right-as-rain manuscript. But, for Ambroise Thomas, in 19th century France, (1868) to tackle the probing young man and make him sing for his supper – well, {…}