Verdi’s “I Vespri Siciliani” is something of an oddity. Composed on the heels of his famous trilogy of “Rigoletto,” “Il Trovatore,” and “La Traviata,” and with a premiere on June 13, 1855, one might have expected that the composer would have up the ante. “Verdi” was excited about the possibility of conquering Paris after coming into such massive artistic maturity, {…}
Anthony Clark Evans has won the first round of the Main Prize competition at the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World Competition. The American baritone performed excerpts from three different romantic composers including Bizet, Wagner and Leoncavallo. He kicked off his first concert with “L’orage s’est calmé… O Nadir, tender ami,” from “Les Pêcheurs des Perles.” That was followed by {…}
Petr Nekoranec will sing tonight’s Central Park SummerStage recital concert. He will replace Stephen Costello, who is ill. The Metropolitan Opera announced the news on Twitter. Nekoranec has become recognized as one of the most distinctive young singers in the Czech Republic. In September 2016, he attended the Lindemann Program for Young Artists at the Metropolitan Opera and became the {…}
Virginia Opera has announced its 2017-18 season, which will feature four masterworks from the repertoire. The season opens in late September with a production of Saint-Saëns’ “Samson and Delilah.” The work will get three performances in Norfolk on Sept. 29 and Oct. 1 and 3, 2017. It heads to Fairfax the following weekend, on Oct. 7 and 8, before shifting over {…}
Opera San Antonio has announced its 2017-18 season. The season will feature two classic works from Verdi and Puccini. On Sept. 8 and 10, 2017, San Antonio will offer Crystal Manich’s production of Verdi’s “Macbeth” with Nadja Michael in the iconic role of Lady Macbeth and Greer Grimsley in the title role. Both singers have been recognized for their interpretations {…}
Rising stars take different paths. Some win competitions, others work their way up, while others get lucky by making a last-minute debut. Kirsten Chambers is having the season of her life, starting with a Metropolitan Opera debut that made headlines when she replaced Patricia Racette as Salome earlier this fall. Now, following a series of debuts, including one at Carnegie Hall, Chambers is {…}
This Sunday, the Metropolitan Opera’s recent production of “Rusalka” will hit TVs around the country as part of PBS’s Great Performances series. The performance will air on June 18 at 12 p.m. EDT. The opera stars Kristine Opolais in the title role, Jamie Barton as the witch Jezibaba, Eric Owens as the Water Sprite, and Brandon Jovanovich as the Prince. The {…}
You’ve heard Fred Plotkin. You’ve heard Sharon Sweet. Now the Martina Arroyo Foundation and New York Opera Fest bring you mezzo-soprano Isola Jones as part of the Master Series. The masterclass is slated for June 14, 2017, starting at 7 p.m. EDT at the Ida K. Lang Recital Hall at Hunter College on East 68th Street. It will feature performances {…}
Every opera career has a different path. Not everyone wins competitions, not everyone starts at the top opera houses or young artist programs, and not everyone begins at the same age. And that is very clear for Angel Blue, who has taken unconventional paths to becoming one of the most promising young artists in opera. “I am definitely open and {…}
On June 18, 2017, Anna Netrebko returns to the Mariinsky Theater for her long-awaited debut in the title role of Cilea’s “Adriana Lecouvreur.” Over the past few years, the soprano has performed Adriana’s opening aria repeatedly and even featured it on her Grammy-nominated album, “Verismo.” The role debut will mark Netrebko’s fourth verismo role following forays into Puccini’s “Manon Lescaut” {…}
Richard Strauss, born on June 11, 1864, is one of opera’s greatest composers. And many of his operas, including “Elektra,” “Salome,” “Der Rosenkavalier,” “Die Frau ohne Schatten,” and “Ariadne auf Naxos,” are major repertoire staples. Others still get occasional performances, including “Arabella,” “Capriccio,” and “The Egyptian Helen.” But there are still others that for whatever reason simply never made the cut {…}