https://operawire.com/metropolitan-opera-2018-19-review-la-traviata/
Audiences who wanted something more traditional visually will be happy with this new “Traviata,” though one hopes that the clumsiness of the staging and the exaggerated color scheme of the costumes will get some sort of revisions for future iterations.
https://operawire.com/talents-of-the-world-announces-first-international-music-festival/
Talents of the World has announced its first International Music Festival, which will take place at Carnegie Hall over the course of three days. The company has described its mission as “the development of the intellectual and spiritual potential of Human beings, to restore and promote the disappearing traditions of bel canto, and to draw audience’s attention to the inexhaustible {…}
https://operawire.com/opera-quiz-which-cavalleria-rusticana-character-are-you/
Pietro Mascagni, born on Dec. 7, 1863, had an extensive career as an opera composer. Despite that, we remember him today for “Cavalleria Rusticana,” an enduring masterpiece about revenge and betrayal. The work is undeniably a fixture of the canon because of its incredible music, yet it was revolutionary because of the perspective it took on its characters. No longer {…}
https://operawire.com/opera-philadelphia-to-present-robert-carsens-production-of-a-midsummer-nights-dream/
Opera Philadelphia is set to continue its season in the winter with the U.S. Premiere of Robert Carsen’s production of Britten;’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
https://operawire.com/dmitri-hvorostovsky-elina-garanca-renee-fleming-nominated-for-2018-grammy-awards/
The Grammy Awards have announced the 2018 nominees selecting a diverse group of operas and performers. In the category of Best Opera Recording the John Adams’ “Doctor Atomic ” recording starring Aubrey Allicock, Julia Bullock, Gerald Finley & Brindley Sherratt and produced by Friedemann Engelbrecht was nominated alongside Mason Bates and Martin Campbell’s “The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs.” The recording {…}
https://operawire.com/wexford-festival-announces-2019-main-stage-operas/
Wexford Festival Opera has announced the three main evening operas for the 68th Festival in 2019. The festival announced that “Der Freischütz” by Weber, “Adina” by Rossini, in a co-production with Pesaro, and “Don Quichotte” by Massenet will be the works performed throughout the festival. The Festival will open on Oct. 22, 2019 and run for 13 consecutive days, closing on {…}
https://operawire.com/cd-review-marina-rebekas-spirito/
It’s hard to find the right voice for the Bel Canto repertoire. A great Bel Canto singer needs flexibility, bright high notes, immense breath control, and impeccable phrasing. And of course, a singer needs to have great command of expression, otherwise, the music can easily fall flat. Many singers attempt to put all this together, but few actually have the complete package, {…}
https://operawire.com/q-a-pacific-opera-projects-artistic-director-john-shaw-on-reaching-new-audiences-with-a-pop-aesthetic/
POP, the acronym for Los Angeles’ youthful Pacific Opera Project has a number of meanings. It can stand for Pop-up Theater (Pacific Opera Project’s productions can take place in a variety of venues and even at short notice). It can also mean “popular” (POP makes opera accessible for audiences whose principle interest might simply be an affordable night out). Over {…}
https://operawire.com/composer-profile-pietro-mascagni-the-man-behind-cavalleria-rusticana/
Pietro Mascagni was a composer of great talent, even if today he remains in the opera conversation because of one great work. He was born on Dec. 7, 1863, in Tuscany. He began his musical studies at age 13 and by 1880, not yet 20, Mascagni had composed a number of works. His first cantata, “In Filanda” premiered in 1881. {…}