The Metropolitan Opera’s new production of “Der Rosenkavalier” by Robert Carsen is as high stakes as it gets these days for the company in both the short and long-term view. In the short-term view, this production is the punctuation on the current season, its final new staging. It will also be the final HD performance of the season, and more {…}
Puccini’s “Madama Butterfly” is one of the most heartbreaking operas and a staple of the repertoire. It has also become the vehicle for Ermonela Jaho, the Albanian soprano who is now associated with the role and has performed it throughout the world. After conquering major theaters in New York, London, Bologna, Paris and Venice, Jaho makes her Washington National Opera debut {…}
May is Asian Heritage Month in the United States and in honor of cultural diversity, OperaWire will look at honoring the Asian opera stars making major headlines at this very moment. Yonghoon Lee There are few tenors at this moment who can truly dominate the spinto tenor repertoire like Yonghoon Lee does. The South Korean tenor has established himself as {…}
Long Beach Opera (LBO) presents “As One” starting on May 13, 2017, at 8:00 p.m. at the Beverly O’Neill Theater in Long Beach, CA. There will be two more performances, one on May 20 at 2:30 and May 21 at 2:30 as well. The highly anticipated debut of the production is a story about identity, consideration, and more. Its music {…}
The divas rule this week’s releases with three distinct CDs providing rarely performed music as Diana Damrau and Sonia Prina rediscover the music of Gluck and Meyerbeer. Meyerbeer rediscovered In Diana Damrau’s latest album, “Grand Opera,” the German soprano puts a spotlight on the often overlooked music of Meyerbeer. Not only does she perform arias from the composer’s more famous opera {…}
Two DVDs will surely have audiences intrigued this year as they will feature two of opera’s undisputed superstars, Plácido Domingo and Juan Diego Flórez. And most interesting of all? The titles will be quite surprising. And most interesting of all? The titles will be quite surprising. Macbeth The first coming out in the next few months is Verdi’s “Macbeth” with {…}
When attending a performance of “Lucia di Lammermoor” at one of the world’s top opera houses one would be very surprised to find a Lucia who is not up to the job. We are, in fact, blessed with an array of professional singers who are well equipped to perform the role to the requisite standard but finding one who can {…}
“It’s like having a crime and then trying to justify it and find why it was committed.” That is how soprano Marina Rebeka, currently making her role debut as Donna Elvira at the Metropolitan Opera, approaches every single opera role or artistic endeavor she takes on. The soprano recently spoke with OperaWire regarding her upcoming projects, putting a spotlight on {…}
Investec Opera Holland Park introduced its cast lists for their 2017 season. The season features many of its Opera Holland Park (OHP) performers, house premiers from known singers, and new talent incorporating numerous young British performers that have been part of OHP’s Young Artists Scheme. The company’s opening production, Puccini’s “La rondine,” will celebrate its centenary in 2017, showcasing Elizabeth {…}
The New York Opera Fest gave a taste of what to expect in the New York City opera scene this summer. One thing is for sure, there is definitely something for everyone with such a diverse group of operas. In association with the New York Opera Alliance, the event kicked off with a more traditional piece from “L’Elisir d’amore,” called {…}
Bruce Brewer has passed away at the age of 75. The tenor, born in San Antonio, Texas on October 12, 1941, passed away in his sleep at Sainte Anne, St. Fraimbault in Lassay-Les-Chateaux, France, on March 6, 2017. The tenor went on to make his stage debut in 1970 and performed on such stages as the Covent Garden, La Scala, Florence, {…}