Soprano Catherine Malfitano has confirmed that Matthew Epstein is still alive. The soprano took to social media and said, “I’d like to clarify Matthew’s current situation, as there has been a lot of misinformation circulating. He is alive but unconscious in the hospital undergoing testing, His vitals are stable but his prognosis is unknown. I will write here again when {…}
The Choral Arts Society of Washington is teaming up with Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield to announce the Healthcare Heroes Program. The program will offer concert tickets to the northern Virginia area frontline healthcare workers as well as 20 tickets for the organization’s Annual Holiday Concert for area hospital system workers. “I’m extremely grateful to Anthem for this partnership {…}
The Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra is set to present “Garden of Good & Evil” at Kaufmann Concert Hall in New York City on Jan. 25, 2024. The event features music by Händel, Errollyn Wallen, and Tarik O’Regan. Countertenor Reginald Mobley headlines the performance with Richard Egarr leading the ensemble. Mobley has performed with such organizations as Minnesota Opera, The Chamber Orchestra {…}
The Festival d’Aix-en-Provence has announced its 2024 slate. Here is a rundown of the vocal and operatic works on offer. First up is “Iphigénie en Aulide” and Iphigénie en Tauride,” presented as a double bill. The Gluck operas will feature Corinne Winters in the title role of both works. In “Aulide,” she is joined by Russell Braun, Véronique Gens, Alasdair {…}
Montclair University’s John J. Cali School of Music is set to present “Dialogues of the Carmelites” this January. The production, which opens on Jan. 27, 2024 and features an additional performance on the 28th, stars Clara Luz Iranzo and So Yeon Kim as Blanche. Other cast members include Hanbyeol Min, Abby Brodnick, Jackie Wick, Helena Waterous, Gabrielle Guida, Inhye Choi, {…}
Ohio’s Dayton Performing Arts Alliance will present Händel’s “Messiah” on Dec. 13, 2023. The showcase will feature Dayton’s Opera, Philharmonic, and Chamber Chorus joining forces under conductor Neal Gittleman. Soloists include Adia Evans, Tess Fackelmann, Dylan Davis, and Ben Brady. “Handel’s ‘Messiah’ is one of my earliest musical memories—or at least the ‘Hallelujah Chorus’ is,” Gittleman said in an official {…}
UNESCO has added Italian opera singing to the cultural heritage list. The art form has been included under the category of Intangible Cultural Heritage alongside such Italian traditions as pizza-making. “Italian opera singing is a physiologically controlled way of singing that enhances the carrying power of the voice in acoustic spaces such as auditoriums, amphitheatres, arenas and churches,” says the {…}
Detroit-based Opera MODO has announced that it will be the first sponsor of a newly publicly accessible online directory of trans, non-binary, and gender diverse opera and classical voice professionals. Per an official press statement issued by the organization the director aims to fulfill the following objectives: Provide opera companies, symphony orchestras, and other arts organizations with a direct list {…}
Lise Davidsen has canceled her Dec. 9, 2023, Christmas Concert performance. The concert which was set in Gotenburg, was canceled due to illness by Davidsen. As a result, purchased tickets will automatically be refunded. The website noted if you have paid for your ticket with a card online, the refund will be made to the same card that you used {…}
Suntory Hall is set to present the Silvester Concert 2023 and the New Year Concert 2024 featuring the Symphonie-Orchester der Volksoper Wien. The Silvester Concert will take place on Dec. 31 and the New Year Concert will take place on Jan. 1, 2024. The Silvester Concert will include music from Johann Strauss Jr’s operetta “Die Fledermaus” and the Wiener Blut {…}
(Photo: Marek Olbryzmek) Richard Strauss’ “Salome” is one of those operas that lives or dies through the performance of one singer. In this case, it is the soprano cast in the title role. If she cannot hold the audience’s attention, either because she is unable to bring the necessary energy and expressivity to her singing or because she does {…}