Opéra de Lausanne 2016-17 Review – Don Giovanni: A Decadent Interpretation Ends a Successful Season

https://operawire.com/opera-de-lausanne-2016-17-review-don-giovanni-a-decadent-interpretation-ends-a-successful-season/

The flamboyant new production of Mozart’s “Don Giovanni,” a drama giocoso in two acts, was the brilliant ending of the 2016/2017 season of the Opéra de Lausanne. This was a remarkable event for the town, located in the French-speaking part of Switzerland on the picturesque shore of Lake Léman also known as Lake Geneva. Despite being one of the world’s {…}

News

NYC Opera Shows Even Greater Support For LGBT Community With Pride Parade

https://operawire.com/nyc-opera-shows-even-greater-support-for-lgbt-community-with-pride-parade/

The New York City Opera wants you to march with the organization on Sunday, June 25, 2017, as part of the Pride Parade. The organization posted an event on Facebook open to everyone interested in participating. The event is slated to take place between 12 p.m. EDT and 10 p.m. EDT, according to the page. “New York City Opera artists, {…}

Opera Wiki

Opera Profile: Verdi’s ‘I Vespri Siciliani’

https://operawire.com/opera-profile-verdis-i-vespri-siciliani/

Verdi’s “I Vespri Siciliani” is something of an oddity. Composed on the heels of his famous trilogy of “Rigoletto,” “Il Trovatore,” and “La Traviata,” and with a premiere on June 13, 1855, one might have expected that the composer would have up the ante. “Verdi” was excited about the possibility of conquering Paris after coming into such massive artistic maturity, {…}

Special Features

Opera vs. Broadway: The Contrasting Styles of ‘Madama Butterfly’ & Its Revival As ‘Miss Saigon’

https://operawire.com/opera-vs-broadway-the-constrasting-styles-of-madama-butterfly-its-revival-as-miss-saigon/

In Collaboration with Francisco Salazar Inside the plainly named Broadway Theater, one of Broadway’s largest houses with 1,765 seats, a wall of wood scaffolding and wood poles obscures the stage in place of the would-be curtain. The screens of wooden slats bleed seamlessly into stairways patched with corrugated metal, extending beyond the proscenium. This apparent slum, which is lit with {…}

Reviews, Stage Reviews

Metropolitan Opera 2016-17 Review – Don Giovanni: Plácido Domingo Leads Pitch-Perfect Cast in Mozart’s Masterpiece

https://operawire.com/metropolitan-opera-2016-17-review-don-giovanni-placido-domingo-leads-pitch-perfect-cast-in-mozarts-masterpiece/

I am going to be rather forward with you. This analysis of Wednesday’s “Don Giovanni” at the Metropolitan Opera will kick off on a positive note before turning a bit sour in tone. But lo and behold, after that, I am going to return to my boyish enthusiasm for what I experienced at the opening of this revival run. The {…}

DVD and CD Reviews, Reviews

‘Das Lied Von Der Erde’ CD Review: Jonas Kaufmann & Jonathan Nott Breathe New Narrative Life Into Mahler’s Glorious Masterpiece

https://operawire.com/das-lied-von-der-erde-cd-review-jonas-kaufmann-jonathan-nott-breathe-new-narrative-life-into-mahlers-glorious-masterpiece/

In the last half century, Gustav Mahler has become arguably the most widely recorded composer in the world of classical music. His music is a deeply personal experience for the truest of Mahlerites, who while open to new interpretations, remain steadfast in their devotion to their all-time favorites. No two recordings of a Mahler work are anywhere close to similar. {…}

News

Tebaldi International Voice Competition Opens Audition Process

https://operawire.com/tebaldi-international-voice-competition-opens-audition-process/

The seventh edition of the Tebaldi International Voice Competition has opened its application process. The Competition, which is taking place from Sept. 6 through 9, is divided into two sections, Ancient and Baroque repertoire and Opera from Mozart until the 20th Century. Candidates interested in participating will have until June 10 to submit. Each candidate must submit a video and {…}

Reviews, Stage Reviews

Metropolitan Opera 2016-17 Review – Werther: Brilliant Grigolo, Leonard & Powerful ‘Werther’ Production Will Leave You Emotionally Enriched & Exhausted

https://operawire.com/metropolitan-opera-2016-17-review-werther-brilliant-grigolo-leonard-powerful-werther-production-will-leave-you-emotionally-enriched-exhausted/

This review is for the performance on Feb. 20, 2017. Taking in the experience of Massenet’s “Werther” is a rather fascinating one. Not because the music is without a doubt the composer’s finest creation or because the Metropolitan Opera’s production is a dramatic home run (more on that later). It has to do with audience interaction and engagement. Who would {…}