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 {…}
Opera Holland Park has announced its 2018 season. The season will consist of three operatic classics and one new rarity. The season kicks off with Strauss’ “Ariadne Auf Naxos.” The new staging will be a co-production with the Danish National Opera. Performances will be held in Scotland in February and March 2018 before the production moves to OHP in July 2018. {…}
As is expected throughout this time period, we have yet another 2017-18 season announcement to report. This time it comes from the Volksoper in Vienna. The company has proudly announced that its new year will feature numerous premieres and 20 repertory pieces among the many offerings for 2017-18. There will be a mix of musicals, operettas, and operas among the {…}
This October, Victor Herbert’s operetta “Eileen” will turn 100 years old. In anticipation of that celebration, and as a culmination of its third season, the Victor Herbert Renaissance Project LIVE! (VHRPL) will present the work. The two performances on April 25 and 26 will also feature the first time that the New Victor Herbert Orchestra debuts. Starting From Scratch The {…}
Making your way to an evening at the opera, you pass through Prague’s medieval, cobblestone streets. In the distance, sets the orange, Bohemian sun behind the black silhouette of Prague Castle. Now descending into a cellar, you’ll find yourself in the theater lobby, packing your hands with Czech beer and awaiting the opening notes of the longest running production of {…}
To this day, Ruggiero Leoncavallo’s identity has been defined by one opera. And perhaps for all of eternity, the Italian composer, born on April 23, 1857, that opera, “Pagliacci,” will be his only recognizable contribution to culture. Of course, “Pagliacci” is a masterful opera that is one of the finest dramatic creations in the genre and there is no shame {…}
Fiorenza Cossotto is widely considered one of the greatest mezzo-sopranos of the 20th century and arguably this writer’s favorite mezzo of all time. In honor of her 82nd birthday, OperaWire has decided to take a look at some of our favorite recordings the mezzo recorded throughout her lengthy and prolific career. “La Favorita” with Alfredo Kraus Donizetti’s operatic masterpiece was one of {…}