Teatro Comunale di Treviso 2017-18 Review – La Cecchina: Piccini’s Opera Gets Comic Treatment to Sterling Success

https://operawire.com/teatro-comunale-di-treviso-2017-18-review-la-cecchina-piccinis-opera-gets-comic-treatment-to-sterling-success/

Born in Bari in 1728, the Italian composer Niccolò Piccinni had an established and successful career in both Italy and France, responsible for the composition of more than 80 operas. Although his work is firmly planted in the 18th century and does not stray from the traditional musical forms of the period, his work was widely praised by fellow composers {…}

Interviews, Stage Spotlight

Q & A: Soprano Lisette Oropesa on ROH Debut, Met Opera Return & Social Media

https://operawire.com/q-a-soprano-lisette-oropesa-on-roh-debut-met-opera-return-social-media/

Soprano Lisette Oropesa is one of the most exciting artists in the world. At just 34, the New Orleans native has already had a storied career, winning the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions at the age of 22, rising through the ranks of the Met Lindemann Young Artist Program, and then going on to sing at all the major houses {…}

Reviews, Stage Reviews

Amore Opera 2017-18 Review – Tosca: Jose Heredia and Dilara Unsal Ozkan Prove Themselves a Power Couple

https://operawire.com/amore-opera-2017-18-review-tosca-jose-heredia-and-dilara-unsal-ozkan-prove-themselves-a-power-couple/

Hidden within the Riverside Church on Clairemont avenue is the Riverside Theatre, this is where the production company Amore Opera has set the stage for its production of Puccini’s “Tosca.” Just as the opera itself grapples with love, jealousy, and what lies beneath the surface of facades, Amore Opera’s production has faithfully upheld these themes through the artistry of the {…}

News

Rossini Opera Festival Superintendent Steps Down

https://operawire.com/rossini-opera-festival-superintendent-steps-down/

After 38 seasons, Gianfranco Mariotti, Superintendent of Pesaro’s Rossini Opera Festival, steps down in a move he says came about through “serenity of spirit.” This comes as a great surprise for the Pesaro Festival which brings together artists of all forms to celebrate the works of Gioachino Rossini. His decision to step down comes after concerns were raised by the {…}

Behind the Scenes, Interviews

Creating A Festival – Jonathon Loy On The Growth Of Berkshire Opera Festival

https://operawire.com/creating-a-festival-jonathon-loy-on-the-growth-of-berkshire-opera-festival/

Is it still reasonable to establish an opera festival in the midst of the summer in the U.S.? It’s not a simple question to answer but for opera lovers and audiences thirsting for the art form during the hot and humid days of July and August, Jonathon Loy, General Director of the Berkshire Opera, has the answer. In just its second {…}

Special Features

Metropolitan Opera 50th Anniversary Gala: 50 Iconic & Historic Moments From the New House

https://operawire.com/metropolitan-opera-50th-anniversary-gala-50-iconic-historic-moments-from-the-new-house/

The Metropolitan Opera celebrates its 50th anniversary Sunday with a massive gala featuring the greatest stars in opera. The company, which moved to Lincoln Center in 1966, is among the most renowned opera institutions in the world, a place where the greatest of all singers commune on one of the biggest stages in one of the biggest theaters. A few {…}

Reviews, Stage Reviews

Teatro Comunale di Bologna 2017 Review – La Voix Humaine & Cavalleria Rusticana: Anna Caterina Antonacci Sets Tone For Fantastic Double Bill

https://operawire.com/teatro-comunale-di-bologna-2017-review-la-voix-humaine-cavalleria-rusticana-anna-caterina-antonacci-sets-tone-for-fantastic-double-bill/

Where one would expect the operatic double bill of “Cavalleria Rusticana” and “Pagliacci,” Teatro Comunale di Bologna instead opened last night’s double bill with Poulenc’s “La Voix Humaine” and Mascagni’s ever-famous verismo opera, “Cavalleria Rusticana,” appropriately placed with the approaching Easter season. La Voix Humaine “Voix Humaine,” set to music from Cocteau’s play of the same name, is described as {…}

Interviews, Stage Spotlight

An Indomitable Force – Mezzo-Soprano Annalisa Stroppa on Playing ‘Carmen’ & Rosina in ‘Il Barbiere Di Siviglia

https://operawire.com/an-indomitable-force-mezzo-soprano-annalisa-stroppa-on-playing-carmen-rosina-in-il-barbiere-di-siviglia/

When she was a young girl, mezzo-soprano Annalisa Stroppa would come home from school to a healthy diet of “The Three Tenors” and Mario del Monaco. Her grandparents idolized these artists and quickly impregnated their granddaughter with an unshakeable passion for opera. “That’s when I discovered I had a special voice and from then on, there was no one stopping {…}