This week, the San Diego Opera will showcase “Florencia en el Amazonas” for the first time in the company’s history. And with it, the company will highlight one of today’s promising young stars, the Cuban-American soprano Elaine Alvarez. The soprano, who came into prominence in 2007 when she made her debut at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, will make her highly {…}
The origins of Philip Glass’ “La Belle et la Bête” are indeed interesting. For many years Glass has had an interest in French film, and in particular a fascination with the works of Jean Cocteau, and in 1994 he decided to write a film score/opera based on Cocteau’s 1946 film of the same name, which was to be the third {…}
The opera stage is replete with people both visible and invisible. You have the singers, the orchestra, and the conductor; arguably the most visible participants in any performance. You have your technician and other stagehands working to keep the lighting and other aspects of the production moving along swimmingly. You’ve got someone coordinating all of that. And then hidden onstage {…}
Soprano María Orán has died. The Spanish soprano born in Tenerife died on March 9, after a long illness. The recognized artist, who studied under Lola Rodríguez Aragón, went on to sing in many of the leading festivals in Spain as well as Portugal, Mexico, Belgium, France, Germany, Australia, Hong Kong, and Israel. Throughout her career, she also worked with {…}
The Met Opera’s upcoming “Così fan tutte” is set to make a major splash in coming weeks. The new production set on Coney Island, which is set to feature more than a number of major tricks, will undeniably play a major role in its popularity. But any opera will live and die with its singing actors, and the cast that {…}
Verdi’s “Otello” takes over the Vienna State Opera’s streaming service on March 18, 2018. The final tragic masterwork of its creator will feature Roberto Alagna in the title role with his real-life wife Aleksandra Kurzak playing the ill-fated Desdemona. Dalibor Jenis portrays Jago and Alexandru Moisiuc as Lodovico. Dan Ettinger conducts. The stream kicks off at 6:30 p.m. local time {…}
Opera Vision will showcase two operas starting on March 17, 2018. They include Verdi’s “Aida” and Offenbach’s “Blaubart.” Verdi’s masterpiece will showcase Christina Nilsson, Ivan Defabiani, Katarina Dalayman, Alessio Cacciamani, and Johan Edholm from the Swedish National Opera under Maestro Pier Giorgio Morandi. It kicks off at 3 p.m. local time. That’s around 10:00 a.m. EDT and 7 a.m. PST {…}
“Don Carlo,” which premiered on March 11, 1867, is arguably Verdi’s most complex concoction. The work features five major characters, all of them imbued with tremendous complexity, some more than others. Among them we see a confused prince trying to find purpose in his life; a rebel ready to risk all for his cause; a queen troubled by the conflict {…}
Premiering on March 11, 1851, “Rigoletto” is one of Verdi’s most popular operas, opening with great acclaim which cemented its place in the operatic repertoire. The libretto, written by Francesco Maria Piave, is adapted from Victor Hugo’s play “Le roi s’amuse,” which had been banned in France for its scandalous depiction of a womanizing monarch. Despite the many troubles posed {…}
The Boston Lyric Opera has announced its 2018-19 season which will feature four works centering on the themes of rebellion. First up is Rossini’s perennial masterwork “The Barber of Seville.” The opera is set to star Matthew Worth, Daniela Mack, Jesus Garcia, David Crawford, Steven Condy, Michelle Trainor, and Alex Lawrence under maestro David Angus. Rosetta Cucchi directs the production. {…}
Janáček’s final opera, “From the House of the Dead (Z mrtvého domu),” is among the operatic canon’s most insular works. Set in a Siberian prison camp, the piece is uncharacteristic as an opera from several perspectives: it features just a single female voice – although originally a mezzo sang the tenor role; its setting is confined to the lugubrious complexion {…}