Conductor James Levine has sued the Metropolitan Opera. The AP reported that Levine opted to sue the opera company on Thursday after a sexual misconduct investigation that ended in the conductor being fired. According to Levine’s representative the company “exploited baseless allegations to tarnish him and then fired him without so much as a phone call. The lawsuit accuses the company {…}
Madison Lyric Stage is set to hold its season fundraiser on April 7 at 7 p.m. at the Deacon John Grave House. The event will feature food, drinks, and entertainment. There will also be a silent auction that will feature apartment stays, private dinners, original watercolor paintings, and theater tickets, among other things. The company’s cast members will also preview {…}
Opera America has announced the latest recipients of the Discovery Grants from the Opera Grants for Female Composers program. The grants are made possible by the Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation and are given to promote the development of works by women. This year’s recipients include Lisa DeSpain for “That Hell-Bound Train,” Alexa Dexa for “Be a Doll,” Germaine Franco for “¡La Capitana!,” Elizabeth Kelly for “Losing Her Voice,” Leanna Kirchoff for “Friday After Friday,” {…}
La Monnaie has announced its 2018-19 season, featuring nine operatic productions and concert performances, as well as numerous recitals. As always the season will feature some of today’s greatest stars and rising stars. Here is a look at what the season will offer in vocal events. Operas “Die Zauberflöte” opens the season in a new production by director Romeo Castellucci {…}
Opera San Jose has announced its 2018-19 season, presenting two company premieres and four productions in total. The season begins with the company premiere of Mozart’s “The Abduction from the Seraglio.” The comic gem will be directed by Michael Shell in a new production that will be conducted by Donato Cabrera. Performance Dates: Sept. 15-30, 2018 Mozart’s comedy will be followed by {…}
The Apex Contemporary Performance and producer and composer Griffin Candey are coming together to produce “The Dark Sky Project.” The project, which is currently running an Indiegogo campaign to raise funds, came together to commission four new song cycles from four female composers that reclaim narratives that history glossed over. The project will see four new song cycles for voice and {…}
The Hungarian State Opera has announced its first tour to the United States this fall. During a press conference in New York, general director Szilvester Okovacs was joined by artistic director Ferenc Anger to present the company’s tour. Heralded as the biggest endeavor by the opera company, the tour will showcase 350 musicians, four important Hungarian operas, and three ballet productions. {…}
Victoria Bond’s Cutting Edge Concerts New Music Festival is slated to showcase the world premiere of Eric Salzman’s new opera “Big Jim & the Small-time Investors.” The world premiere event is set for April 9, 2018 at Symphony Space. The fully staged production will be done in collaboration with Gramercy Opera, and Quog Music Theater. Per a press release, the {…}
A few years ago, Amanda Majeski got the opportunity of a lifetime. Most singers wait a ton of time before getting a shot at opening the Metropolitan Opera season. Many singers never get that opportunity at all. But there was Majeski on Sept. 22, 2014. Richard Eyre’s massive set for “Le Nozze di Figaro” was rotating to reveal the Countess’ {…}
“Opera Meets Film” is a feature dedicated to exploring the way that opera has been employed in cinema. We will select a section or a film in its entirety, highlighting the impact that utilizing the operatic form or sections from an opera can alter our perception of a film that we are viewing. This week’s installment we will take a {…}
The Oper Leipzig has announced its 2018-19 season with multiple new productions, concert performances, and revivals. It will also feature a number of international stars, as well as ensemble singers, that will perform some of the greatest operatic masterpieces in the repertoire. New Productions Karine Babajanyan and Anja Kampe headline a new production of Puccini’s “La Fanciulla del West” with {…}