Obituary: Influential Conductor, Vocal Coach & Pianist Thomas Muraco Passes Away

https://operawire.com/obituary-influential-conductor-vocal-coach-pianist-thomas-muraco-passes-away/

Musician Thomas Muraco has died. According to the Manhattan School of Music, where Muraco was a faculty member, the esteemed teacher and musician passed away on Feb. 3, 2024, after a sudden illness. He was surrounded by his sister Lorraine, partner Thomas, and close friends and colleagues. Muraco began his conducting career as an assistant to Leonard Bernstein, John Nelson, {…}

Reviews, Special Features, Stage Reviews

Winning in Norway – The Experience of Taking in the Final of the 2023 Queen Sonja Singing Competition

https://operawire.com/winning-in-norway-the-experience-of-taking-in-the-final-of-the-2023-queen-sonja-singing-competition/

Finals for singing competitions are an interesting experience to cover. On one hand, everyone on stage is a winner. In the case of the 2023 edition of the Queen Sonja Singing Competition, the six singers who took the stage on August 26 were picked from an overall pool of 521 contestants from around the world; not mention that the competition {…}

Special Features

The ‘Strange New World’ of Virtual Reality Opera

https://operawire.com/the-strange-new-world-of-virtual-reality-opera/

Photo Credit: Dahlia Katz One of the biggest, and longest-lasting, impacts that the pandemic has had on our society has been in the area of technological adaptation and innovation. One could see this in the widespread usage of live-streamed, Zoom-based productions, as well as other digitally-manipulated processes, in opera from 2019 to 2021. The boom in streaming’s popularity was thanks {…}

News

Obituary: Conductor Larry Rachleff Passes at 67

https://operawire.com/obituary-conductor-larry-rachleff-passes-at-67/

Conductor Larry Rachleff passed away on August 8, 2022 at the age of 67 after a long battle with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Born on Feb. 25, 1955 in New London Connecticut, he would study at the University of Connecticut and get his Master’s Degree at the University of Michigan. Honorary Doctorates would follow at the Roger Williams University and Providence College, {…}

News

Obituary: Mezzo-Soprano Pamela Helen Stephen dies at 57

https://operawire.com/obituary-mezzo-soprano-pamela-helen-stephen-dies-at-57/

(Credit: Chris Gloag) Mezzo Pamela Helen Stephen has died at the age of 57. Born in Solihull in 1964, Stephen grew up in Scotland and studied at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, where she obtained a bachelor’s degree in musical performance in 1986. She later studied opera, lieder, and oratorio singing, at the Opera Theater Center at {…}

News

Minnesota Opera Announces New Vice President, Artistic

https://operawire.com/minnesota-opera-announces-new-vice-president-artistic/

Minnesota Opera has announced that Joseph Li will take on the role of vice president, artistic starting on Nov. 15, 2021. In his new position, Li will be charged with the artistic department and will be responsible for the vocal and instrumental divisions of the company. He will also work closely with vice presents of impact and production as well {…}

News

Obituary: Metropolitan Opera Staff Conductor Joel Revzen Dies of COVID-19-Related Causes

https://operawire.com/obituary-metropolitan-opera-staff-conductor-joel-revzen-dies-of-covid-19-related-causes/

Maestro Joel Revzen has died at the age of 74 due to causes related to COVID-19. Revzen began his studies at the Chicago Musical College of Roosevelt University where he studied conducting, piano, accompanying, and ear training. From there he went to Juilliard to study conducting and received both his bachelors and masters. In 1984, he joined the St. Paul {…}

Behind the Scenes, Interviews

Q&A: Lembit Beecher On The Philadephia Premiere Of His Opera ‘I Have No Stories To Tell You’

https://operawire.com/qa-lembit-beecher-on-the-philadephia-premiere-of-his-opera-i-have-no-stories-to-tell-you/

On Sept. 14, 2017, Opera Philadelphia will open “War Stories,” a double bill featuring Monetverdi’s “Il combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda” and Lembit Beecher’s “I Have No Stories to Tell You.” The pairing features two stories about war and their effects on their heroes. It is also a chance to see a classic baroque work juxtaposed with a modern work. Beecher {…}

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Obituary: Influential Conductor, Vocal Coach & Pianist Thomas Muraco Passes Away

Winning in Norway – The Experience of Taking in the Final of the 2023 Queen Sonja Singing Competition

The ‘Strange New World’ of Virtual Reality Opera

Obituary: Conductor Larry Rachleff Passes at 67

Obituary: Mezzo-Soprano Pamela Helen Stephen dies at 57

Minnesota Opera Announces New Vice President, Artistic

Obituary: Metropolitan Opera Staff Conductor Joel Revzen Dies of COVID-19-Related Causes

Q&A: Lembit Beecher On The Philadephia Premiere Of His Opera ‘I Have No Stories To Tell You’