David Daniels has canceled his participation with the Virginia Symphony Orchestra. The countertenor was scheduled to perform Kenneth Fuch’s work “Poems of Life.” On his website, a statement noted, “It is with great sadness that David Daniels must withdraw from his performance with the Virginia Symphony for the premiere of Kenneth Fuchs’ ‘Poems of Life.’ This has been a project of {…}
Valentina Naforniță is quickly becoming a leading lady in the opera world. Her rise came shortly after winning the Cardiff Singer of the World competition in 2011 and since then she has been a main attraction at the Vienna State Opera. While Naforniță may not be a recognizable name yet in the States, this week she expands her horizons as {…}
This week Jonas Kaufmann has a new CD out while Dynamic brings a new “Otello” interpretation to home video. Das Lied Von Erde Sony releases a new recording of Mahler’s “Das Lied von Erde” with none other than Jonas Kaufmann. In this new recording conducted by Jonathan Nott, Kaufmann takes on the tenor and baritone parts. The symphony is accompanied {…}
One of the unique features of the Bayerische Staatsoper is its summer festival, the “Festspiele” which features a plethora of opera and ballet during the summer months. Here is a survey of what’s in store for those interested in an operatic summer in Munich. New Productions New productions of “Parsifal” and “Orlando Paladino” will get showcases in the summer, both {…}
No opera house has more superstars on the roster next season than the Bayerische Staatsoper. Anna Netrebko and Jonas Kaufmann, arguably the two biggest stars in the opera world, will both appear in Munich in 2017-18, albeit in limited runs. Their appearances in America are limited to a total of eight shows between the two of them. In Munich, that {…}
The Bayerische Staatsoper has announced its 2017-18 season, which will feature a whopping six new productions and a total of 41 operas. The season opens in Japan in September with the “Così fan tutte” officially kicking things off in Munich at the end of the month. The New Productions The first new production of the year will be Mozart’s “Le {…}
I preface this by stating that this review is for the performance on March 31, 2017. I would also like to recognize that this is just one, performance of a seven-performance run. In an ideal situation, I would attend every performance and write a detailed review of the overall work. As it stands, I can only go on my perspective of one performance. Despite being such a familiar opera, {…}
The Tri-Cities Opera released their new 2017-18 season this past week at its Preview Gala. The company’s resident artists, including Soprano Stacey Geyer, Mezzo-Soprano Mary Beth Nelsom, Tenor Jordan Schreiner, and Baritone Scott, all teased the audience with selections from the upcoming productions. Puccini’s classic “La Bohème” will kickstart the season on Sunday, October 15th at the Fordum Theatre. The next {…}
April Fools Day is the day to prank fellow friends and enjoy watching them suffer under false assumptions. Of course, the clincher of a true April Fool’s joke is that you let the person know they have been fooled once it is all over. Opera’s greatest works are filled with characters playing massive pranks on one another, to the audience’s {…}
Patricia Racette has withdrawn from the Metropolitan Opera’s upcoming revival of Alfano’s “Cyrano de Bergerac” The Met announced that Racette had an abdominal hernia that would also cause her to cancel her scheduled Singer’s Studio Masterclass and conversation at the Bruno Walter Auditorium. As a result, Jennifer Rowley will replace Racette in the role of Roxanne. Rowley made her Met {…}
A year ago, the name Ryan Speedo Green might not be quite the household name that it has become. The bass, born on April 1, 1986, has had a whirlwind of a year. From his high-profile turn at the Metropolitan Opera in “La Bohème” to the release of “Sing for Your Life: A Story of Race, Music and Family,” a {…}