With February drawing to a close, Opera Philadelphia announced its 2017-18 season. The company is slated to open the new season with a 12-day festival that will showcase opera across six venues for a total of 25 performances. This festival, called O17, will take place between Sept. 14-25. The festival opens with the world premiere of Kevin Puts’ “Elizabeth Cree” {…}
On Feb. 27, Verdi’s revised version of “La Forza del Destino” premiered at La Scala in 1869. The version included a number of changes, including a completely different ending and adjustments to a few duets. The result was a shorter opera that was hailed by critics as one of Verdi’s late masterpieces. Throughout history the opera has been a vehicle {…}
Are you interested in listening to legendary singers or discovering a new work? This week, two recordings from legendary sopranos will be available while opera fans will have the chance to discover a new work by Bellini. Check it Out! Leontyne Price’s Tosca Price was one of the supreme dramatic sopranos of her time. She conveyed every character with her {…}
The Chamber Society of New York has announced its series of concerts for next season. Sure enough, there are some major opera singers putting on unique concert experiences, though the vocal offerings are minimal at best. The one that exudes the biggest star wattage takes place on Sunday Oct. 29, 2017 in a program honoring the 100th birthday celebration of {…}
Last year was arguably Ryan Speedo Green’s biggest year as he broke out in the operatic world with his showstopping aria “Vecchia Zimarra” in Puccini’s “La Bohème” at the Metropolitan Opera. The bass made the most out his two minute aria and critics said that he was the most memorable performance of the night. A star was essentially born. This {…}
The final days of Black History Month coincide with the birthday of one of the great black singers in the history of opera, quite possibly the most important. While Leontyne Price belongs in the pantheon of the world’s greatest singers and is quite possibly the most famous ever, Marian Anderson, born on Feb. 27, 1897, was the one that allowed {…}
Are you free this Sunday and want to see an opera from Vienna? This Sunday, Feb. 26 the Wiener Staatsoper will Live Stream Donizetti’s “L’Elisir d’Amore” from its Live Stream service. The cast includes Olga Mariotti-Peretyatko, Dmitry Korchak, Adam Plachetka and Alessio Arduini. Marco Armiliato conducts the classic Otto Schenk production which was released on DVD by Virgin Classics a {…}
Born on Feb. 25, 1873, Enrico Caruso was arguably the most important opera singer in the entire history of the art form. Maybe only Maria Callas rivals him in putting the art form into the collective consciousness of 20th century audiences. Caruso, who was beloved for his simple nature and brilliant voice, was a man capable of selling out any {…}
Dmitri Hvorostovsky has cancelled another set of performances due to ongoing treatment. A Facebook statement said, “Dmitri Hvorostovsky is postponing scheduled recitals in Kaliningrad and Minsk over the coming week and canceling his Wiener Staatsoper recital on March 7 after being advised by his doctors to continue treatment for his brain tumor during this period.” He added, “I had been greatly looking forward {…}
A new opera starts its life on Saturday while a rarity gets its premiere in a major city and a modern masterwork arrives in our nation’s capital. Yes, opera is finally starting to bloom around the States, with many smaller companies getting in on the act. Arizona Opera is showcasing the world premiere of Bohmler’s “Riders of the Purple Sage.” {…}
It’s Oscar Sunday this weekend and while it may seem irrelevant to the world of opera, the art form has been present numerous times at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. In celebration of the Academy Awards, OperaWire takes a look at times when opera stars or films were nominated at the Academy Awards. 2016 Last awards season {…}