Piedmont Opera has announced seven new members to its Board of Directors. The new board members include directors Kevin Bender, Scott Lefelar, Haley Gingles, Julian Robb, Steve Berlin, Wendy Poteat, and Ryan Ross. “I couldn’t be happier to have these dynamic leaders join us on our leadership team,” said Barbara Raffaldini, Piedmont Opera’s board of directors’ chairman. “Each brings a {…}
(Photo credit: © Marc Brenner/Royal Opera) N.B. In this performance of “Tosca” Russell Thomas replaced the previously scheduled Yusif Eyvazov, who was indisposed. Entitlement enlightens spectators on the contrasting and yet comparable personas of soprano Floria Tosca and barbaric chief of police Scarpia: spoiled brats forsaking all who block their way. Sways of a dress’s train portray the former’s annexing {…}
The Venice Film Festival has announced that “Maria,” the Maria Callas biopic by Pablo Larraín will premiere in competition this September. The film stars Angelina Jolie as the famed diva alongside Pierfrancesco Favino, Alba Rohrwacher, Haluk Bilginer, and Kodi Smit-McPhee. According to IMDB, “Maria” follows the life story of the world’s greatest opera singer, Maria Callas, during her final days {…}
On July 11, a renowned composer John Adams posted on X (ex-Twitter): This @deutsche_oper production: painful to even think about. “Nixon in China” is so often mistreated or misunderstood. In 35 years I’ve only seen 2 productions that got it right. This one? Clearly a disgrace. But we composers can only babysit our creations for so long. What do we {…}
The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland has announced the death of vocal tutor Alan Watt. The conservatory realized a statement stating, “Alan joined the music teaching staff in 1995 and continued his teaching until his retirement in September 2019. He came to what was then the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama with a background of considerable experience in the {…}
Pittsburgh Opera has announced that Music Director Antony Walker has signed a five-year contract extension with the company. The extension will keep Walker on Pittsburgh Opera’s podium through June 2029. Walker first conducted for Pittsburgh Opera in the company’s 2004 production of “Il Ritorno d’Ulisse in Patria” and has since conducted over 250 Pittsburgh Opera performances spanning more than 50 operas. Pittsburgh {…}
The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra announced that internationally-renowned conductor Gábor Takács-Nagy has been named the orchestra’s newest Artistic Partner. Takács-Nagy first made his SPCO debut in June 2023 leading the orchestra in its 64th season finale. Since first performing with the SPCO in 2023, Takács-Nagy became an audience favorite for his intimate and energetic interpretations of new and timeless works. {…}
(Credit: Fotos von Bernd Uhlig, Kontakt: bernd.uhlig.fotografie@t-online.de) Often after watching a perplexing rendition of “Das Rheingold“, critics and public alike might proclaim: “Let’s see what will happen tomorrow night. Let us hold our judgement until then, to see where all of this is going.” And then, Herheim’s “Die Walküre” began, proving to be the worst of the cycle. The First {…}
Italian Soprano Elena Mauti-Nunziata has died at the age of 77. Born August 28, 1946, in Palma Campania, Naples, Mauti-Nunziata attended the Teatro Lirico Sperimentale in Palermo where Gina Cigna taught her. She made her unofficial debut in Sicily as Musetta in “La Bohème” and obtained recognition when she did Bellini’s “I Puritani” in Palermo. In 1977, she had her {…}
The Juilliard School has announced its season for 2024-25, and the inaugural “Juilliard’s Fall Festival.” This article only features vocal performances featured in these programs. “Touching Magic: A Vocal Arts-Sibelius Academy Collaboration” kicks off the Fall Festival. Performance Date: September 13, 2024 Installments of Juilliard’s “Liederabend” take place throughout the season. Performance Dates: October 9, November 13, & December 12, {…}
“Dignifed” is perhaps the best word to define Elīna Garanča and Malcolm Martineau’s recital. At a time when recitals have become more and more either causal occasions or rallies for a pressing cause, the Latvian mezzo-soprano reminds us of the ennobling power of music itself. Such elevation sentiment comes along with Garanča and Martineau’s fairly intellectual nature. This duo thinks {…}