The Lyric Opera of Chicago announced its 2017-18 Season last week, which included a number of new productions and some of the most exciting singers in the industry. The following is a list of the stars OperaWire suggests audiences should not miss next season. Ben Bernheim Bernheim is easily becoming one of the fastest rising stars in the opera world {…}
Renée Fleming is one of the most iconic sopranos of our time as she has broken the mold for what it means to be an operatic diva. On February 14, Fleming celebrates her 58th birthday and OperaWire celebrates it by taking a look at what makes Fleming such an inspiration. Intelligence and Depth Every time Renée Fleming approaches a role, {…}
It’s Valentine’s Day, a momentous occasion to celebrate love and romance. Romance is at the heart of opera with the art forms pull coming from our connection with beautiful love affairs. Most everyone melts at Rodolfo and Mimì’s blooming love in “La Bohème” or Alfredo and Violetta’s in “La Traviata.” We admire the sacrifice of Roméo and Juliette or even {…}
Two major cancellations were announced on Monday at the Metropolitan Opera. First it was announced that Diana Damrau would not partake in the second performance of “I Puritani” on Tuesday, Feb. 14 and then it was revealed tenor Marcelo Alvarez would also withhold from performing the performance of “Carmen” on Feb. 15. Pretty Yende, coming off a thrilling running of {…}
For years Joyce DiDonato has been a master in the Bel Canto repertoire singing Rossini, Bellini and Donizetti. Her vocal flexibility and nuance has brought new musical insights to some of this neglected repertoire, her approach often innovative. This week DiDonato took on the role of Rossini’s “Semiramide” for the first time at the Bayerische Staatsoper and after listening to the premiere {…}
It’s Fashion Week and how style has influenced the opera world. Today we take a look at some of today’s opera divas that have redefined glamour, taking it to the next level with their trendy wardrobe and wearing some of the greatest fashion designers currently working in the industry. Thanks to the wonderful insight from OperaFashion, we take a look at {…}
For the past two weeks we have honored the black singers making strides in today’s diverse opera world. But unfortunately, as has been the case in many social situations, the opera world was not always that diverse and the black community was not always a lock for representation on the biggest stages. But throughout the years major operatic pioneers manage {…}
Ramon Tebar is an up-and-coming conductor who has worked with some of the most acclaimed artists in the classical music world including Roberto Alagna, Joshua Bell, Montserrat Caballe, Joseph Calleja, Gautier Capucon, Plácido Domingo, Angela Gheorghiu, Maria Guleghina, Ben Heppner and Renata Scotto. Aside from his work with these legendary artists Tebar keeps a hectic schedule as he is the {…}
Jonas Kaufmann has cancelled his final performance at the Barbican. The tenor sent out a message on Facebook that stated, “Dear Friends, Jonas deeply regrets that because he has bronchitis his concert at the Barbican is cancelled. In due course they hope to reschedule this concert to a future date. Thomas Voigt.” The concert was to have included Strauss’ “Vier letzte {…}
The 2017 Grammy awards have been handed out with many surprises in the Classical categories. Pentatone Music went home with two Grammys for Corigliano’s “The Ghosts Of Versailles.” The categories included Best Opera Recording and Best Engineered Album. Among the winners in the categories for engineering were Mark Donahue, Fred Vogler & David L Williams. The performers who won for Best Opera Recording {…}
This review is for the performance on Feb. 11, 2017. What happens when the Metropolitan Opera casts four superstars into Bellini’s final opera? The answer is golden age singing. For years “I Puritani” has been a vehicle at the Metropolitan Opera to promote the diva and sometimes has made casting uneven with little attention paid to who can sing the incredibly {…}
