496 search results for…

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 {…}

Special Features

9 Famous Filmmakers Who Have Directed Opera

https://operawire.com/9-famous-filmmakers-who-have-directed-opera/

Opera has been used in the mainstream throughout history with many film directors like Martin Scorsese, Tom Ford, Francis Ford Coppola and Joe Wright inserting the art form into their films for crucial scenes. Some, like James Gray, have even been influenced by the art form and have made films that evoke opera. Gray’s “The Immigrant,” was made after he saw {…}

Special Features

On This Day: Religion As Dramatic Structure in Verdi’s ‘Otello’

https://operawire.com/on-this-day-religion-as-dramatic-structure-in-verdis-otello/

Verdi’s “Otello” is arguably the greatest opera ever written. Premiering on Feb. 5, 1887 amidst tremendous fanfare and anticipation, Verdi’s second-to-last work was one of the few instances where the hype was not only met but tremendously exceeded. To that point, Verdi was recognized as a genius, his operatic output among the greatest work of any composer to that time. {…}

Special Features

8 Famous Opera Stars Involved in Major Humanitarian Causes

https://operawire.com/8-famous-opera-stars-involved-in-major-humanitarian-causes/

Rolando Villazon recently announced that he had helped raise over $5,000 in supporting  USA for UNHCR and the aid it is providing for refugees. Humanitarian efforts in the world of opera are not new and there have been many other major singers like Villazon that have or continue to contribute to great causes. The following is a look at some {…}

Reviews, Stage Reviews

Metropolitan Opera 2016-17 Review – Salome: Patricia Racette Descends Into Insanity In Riveting Performance

https://operawire.com/metropolitan-opera-2016-17-review-salome-patricia-racette-descends-into-insanity-in-riveting-performance/

Over the course of two uninterrupted hours, Strauss’ “Salome” must develop from a clueless ingénue to a passionate seductress that eventually ends up a murderous, lustful lunatic. It is the dream role for any actress, but also one that demands a grade-A star to dispatch all of its nuance and intense passions. Patricia Racette was not supposed to be the {…}