Arizona Opera has just gotten a massive gift in the form of $1 million, one of the largest in its history. According to Tuscon.com, the donation is coming from Scott Stallard and his wife Marlu Allan, who were thrilled earlier this season when they experienced the company’s world premiere of “Riders of the Purple Sage.” “It was stunning,” Stallard said {…}
Every opera singer has a dream of performing at the Metropolitan Opera in a leading role. The dream takes a lot of work and hours of rehearsing, practicing, auditioning and, in many ways, luck. But it also takes years of building an international career. For Amber Wagner 2017 marks her first big contract with the theater after making her debut {…}
The Hartford Opera Theater will introduce Copeland’s “The Tender Land” this summer. The main stage production includes music by Aaron Copeland and libretto by Horace Everett. Kristy Chambrelli will direct the performance, with the music conducted by Joseph Hodge. But the company has a big surprise for everyone. As part of their “Opera Without Borders” initiative, the Hartford Opera Theater is {…}
OperaDelaware will celebrate the 225th anniversary of Rossini’s birth by performing “Semiramide” and “La Cenerentola” as a part of the company’s 2017 festival. Starting on Saturday, April 29 at 7:30 p.m. OperaDelaware presents Rossini’s final Italian opera, “Semiramide.” This rarely performed masterpiece will appear again on May 7 at 2:00 p.m. Maestro Anthony Barrese will conduct as Dean Anthony directs. {…}
Atlanta Opera is gearing up for a revival of Puccini’s “Turandot,” the iconic opera featuring arguably opera’s most iconic melody. The company, which is reviving the production by French Canadian duo Renaud Doucet and André Barbe, will feature a cast that includes tenor Gianluca Terranova and Marcy Stonikas as Turandot. Finding Deeper Meaning From Another Vision Reviving the production will {…}
Monica Dewey has won the 10th International Hilde Zadek Vocal competition. The 27-year-old American soprano won the 10,000 € grand prize in the Glass Hall of the Wiener Musikverein. Dewey, who is from Atlanta, was also successful in four other special categories, including the special prize of the Cologne Opera and the Media Jury Prize. Second prize went to baritone {…}
Verdi was one of the most prolific composers in the history of opera. Spanning five decades, the composer created two dozen operas among other compositions. And yet he left many works unfinished and abandoned, most famously his “Re Lear.” For years no one has known anything about that work, but that might just change with the announcement that 5,300 pages {…}
Two vastly different CDs come out this week. One comes from a violinist exploring operatic repertoire through diverse arrangements while the other one comes from a legendary singer who is considered the greatest in the history of opera. There is also one Mozart selection that will likely appeal to DVD collectors. Alexandre Da Costa Goes To The Opera The acclaimed {…}
Rolando Villazón is one of the most admired singers in the opera world for his sheer abandon on stage and his detailed characterizations. He has created some very memorable performances and has recorded a number of great albums. However, this week he steps offstage and goes back to the directing seat for Donizetti’s “Don Pasquale.” Villazón directed his first opera in {…}
Wagner’s first masterpiece “Der Fliegende Holländer” returns to the Metropolitan Opera on Tuesday, April 25 after a seven-year absence. Despite being well-known throughout the opera world, “The Flying Dutchman,” as translated in English, has had a rather interesting history at the Met marked by long hiatuses. The opera opened the 1889-1890 season in its first-ever performance. The cast that included {…}
La Monnaie announced its 2017-18 season last week. As always, it features a plethora of offerings across opera, ballet, concert and chamber music. Let’s take a look at the offerings for opera lovers. Philippe Boesmans’ “Pinocchio” opens on Sept. 9, 2017, with Stéphane Degout leading the cast. Rossini’s “Tancredi” will appear for just two concert performances on October 11 and {…}