2019-20 Review: Mother Goose

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(Credit: Orlando Mendiola) There were plenty of F’s— High F’s, Low F’s, and Middle F’s—in composer/librettist’s Felix Jarrar’s “Mother Goose: A Drag Comic Chamber Opera,” and, I’m not speaking of notes on a staff; I’m talking about the f-word. Jarrar’s latest creation and collaboration with director Bea Goodwin was crass and vulgar; in short, I loved it. “Mother Goose” was {…}

Interviews, Stage Spotlight

Q & A: Rachel Kelly On Growing Up In A Musical Family, Her Favorite Composer & Dealing With The Stresses Of The Job

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(Photo: Clive Barda) Anyone who was fortunate enough to attend a performance of Rossini’s one act farsa “Adina” at this year’s Wexford Festival Opera, or managed to catch the broadcast on RTE’s Lyric FM could not fail to have been enthused by mezzo-soprano Rachel Kelly’s stunning interpretation in the title role. Since impressing on the Jette Parker Young Artists Programme {…}

Reviews, Stage Reviews

Staatsoper Berlin 2019-20 Review: Il Primo Omicidio

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(Credit: Monika Ritterhaus) In its second annual Baroque festival, the Staatsoper Berlin spotlighted the work of two contemporaries, Alessandro Scarlatti and Henry Purcell, and the musical cultures of the Italian and English Baroque. Over 10 days and 25 musical performances, the program covered not only opera but a wide array of other material, from a Baroque harp recital to Jacobean {…}

Interviews, Stage Spotlight

Q & A: Mezzo-Soprano Bettina Ranch On European Musical Tradition, The Future of Singing

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(Credit: Janine Guldener) The Berlin-based mezzo-soprano Bettina Ranch dreamed about a career as a singer since childhood. And while she started off her musical path as a violinist, she eventually made the switch, which has led her to a major vocal career greater than even her dreams could handle. She has been an ensemble member of the Aalto Musiktheater Essen {…}

Interviews, Stage Spotlight

Q & A: Mezzo Ekaterina Semenchuk On Her Passion For Verdi & Her Vast Repertory

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(Credit: Alexey Kostromin) When you think of Verdi mezzo, there are few singers that fit that bill as well as Russian artist Ekaterina Semenchuk. For years now, she has been the go-to mezzo-soprano in Verdi’s major roles, finding major triumphs at such venues as the Opéra National de Paris, the Teatro Real de Madrid, the Staatsoper Unter den Linden, the {…}

Reviews, Stage Reviews

Komische Oper Berlin 2019-20 Review: The Bassarids

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Written after Euripides’ ancient Greek tragedy “The Bacchae,” “The Bassarids” is essentially a one-act opera with intermezzo. It was composed by Hans Werner Henze to an English libretto by Wystan Hugh Auden and Chester Kallman (who also jointly wrote the libretto for opera “The Rake’s Progress” by Igor Stravinsky). The opera had its world premiere in Salzburg on August 6, {…}

Reviews, Stage Reviews

Wiener Staatsoper 2019-20 Review: A Midsummer Night’s Dream

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After 57 years, the Vienna State Opera brought Benjamin Britten’s masterwork “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” back into its repertoire. The opera had its world premiere at the Aldeburgh Festival on June 11, 1960, with the Vienna State Opera showcasing the work for the first time in 1962. This chronology implies that the opera house was quick to stage Britten’s masterwork {…}

Stage Reviews

Oper Frankfurt 2019-20 Review: Otello

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(Photo: Barbara Aumueller) “They have been crucifying our Othello into an opera,” was Lord Byron’s reaction on seeing a production of Rossini’s “Otello,” continuing “Music good, but as for the words… …and the greatest nonsense instead.” Even Stendhal, a keen supporter of the composer, was angered by the work, suggesting that his music should be reset to Shakespeare’s text. The {…}

News

PBS Showcases ‘Odyssey: The Chamber Music Society in Greece,’ Featuring Emily D’Angelo

https://operawire.com/pbs-showcases-odyssey-the-chamber-music-society-in-greece-featuring-emily-dangelo/

(photo credit: CMSLC ) This Friday, September 6th, 2019, PBS will air Live From Lincoln Center’s delightful program “Odyssey: The Chamber Music Society in Greece.” The Chamber Music Society (CMS) of Lincoln Center’s 2018 site specific performances in Greece’s most cherished places are paired with CMS’ leading musicians to showcase a story-telling experience of culture rich music and history. Featured {…}

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2019-20 Review: Mother Goose

Q & A: Rachel Kelly On Growing Up In A Musical Family, Her Favorite Composer & Dealing With The Stresses Of The Job

Staatsoper Berlin 2019-20 Review: Il Primo Omicidio

Q & A: Mezzo-Soprano Bettina Ranch On European Musical Tradition, The Future of Singing

Q & A: Mezzo Ekaterina Semenchuk On Her Passion For Verdi & Her Vast Repertory

Komische Oper Berlin 2019-20 Review: The Bassarids

Wiener Staatsoper 2019-20 Review: A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Oper Frankfurt 2019-20 Review: Otello

PBS Showcases ‘Odyssey: The Chamber Music Society in Greece,’ Featuring Emily D’Angelo