It has been a big week for opera singers on the national level. Just a few days ago Welsh bass-baritone Bryn Terfel was knighted by the Queen and this week will see two major singers get the same recognition in Canada. The artists in question are Michael Schade and Russell Braun, who are now appointees to The Order of Canada. {…}
The Seattle Opera has announced it 2017-18 season featuring five operas, two of which will see art and real-life come together as one. The season opens August 5 with Puccini’s “Madama Butterfly” starring Lianna Haroutounian and Alexia Voulgaridou alternating the title role of Cio-Cio San. Alexey Dolgov and Dominik Chenes will sing the role of Pinkerton while Weston Hurt will sing the {…}
Angela Gheorghiu and Ramon Vargas will reunite for the opening opera gala concert at the International Music Festival of Cesky Krumlov. The concert which will take place on July 3 will conducted by Leoš Svárovský and will feature the PKF – Prague Philharmonia, However, details of the concert have not been announced. Gheorghiu and Vargas have performed in many productions together, most {…}
30 performances. Seven cities. Five house debuts and two role debuts. That is what tenor Brian Jagde faces in 2017. The first half of 2017 that is. The tenor, who has been growing in prominence over the last few years, is slated for a monstrous calendar year that will see him make more house debuts than he ever has before. {…}
On Jan.3, 1843 Donizetti’s comic masterpiece “Don Pasquale” made its premiere with immediate success. It immediately became part of the standard repertoire and a piece that was translated into French, and performed all over the world. Since its premiere the opera has been performed more than 700 times and has been recorded by many great artists. To celebrate the works {…}
On Jan. 2 Legendary Conductor Arturo Toscanini was inducted into the Carnegie Hall Digital Hall of Fame. The conductor made his Carnegie Hall debut with the La Scala Orchestra on January 3, 1921 and went on to conduct at Carnegie Hall more than 400 times over 33 year . He performed regularly with the New York Philharmonic after 1926 when he excited audiences {…}
Have you ever dreamed of joining Anna Netrebko on stage? The Salzburg Festival could make that a reality as it is currently casting supers for its new production of Verdi’s “Aida.” The festival is looking for athletic men from ages 20 to 60 and is holding auditions on Jan. 12 at 6 pm at the Karl Bohm auditorium. The supers are {…}
Joyce DiDonato is redefining what it means to be an opera singer as she is taking her love for music to Sing Sing, one of the most notorious prisons in the world. On the Today show the Mezzo Soprano was interviewed about her work with the inmates to help them find their voice through music. In the story DiDonato revealed {…}
The first week of New Years will be busy for opera lovers who are excited to discover new artists or look back at some of the legendary prima donnas. Anett Fritsch and Mozart Orfeo will release Frisch’s debut album. The album features works from Mozart’s popular operas including “Don Giovanni,” “Cosi Fan Tutte” and “Le Nozze di Figaro.” A specialist {…}
Knoxville residents will have the opportunity to witness the future of opera this weekend as the public will be invited to the Middle/East Tennessee District Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions hosted by Knoxville Opera Guild on Jan. 7. The auditions, which begin at 10 am, are being held at the the Powell Recital Hall of the Natalie L. Haslam Music Center at the {…}
Jonas Kaufmann has announced his return to the stage after months on vocal rest. In an interview with Corriere della Sera in Italy the German tenor stated, “It was really tough. I love to sing and never before have I been forced to [take] such a long break. It was not easy, but what else could I do? I tried {…}