Obituary: Conductor Robert Hart Baker Dies at 69

https://operawire.com/obituary-conductor-robert-hart-baker-dies-at-69/

On Nov. 25, 2023, conductor Robert Hart Baker died at the age of 69. Born on March 19, 1954, the conductor went on to study at the Manhattan School of Music for preparatory division, the Academie Internationale d’ete, the Mozarteum Conservatory in Salzburg, Horace Mann School, Harvard University, Yale University, and York College of Pennsylvania He was a student of Herbert {…}

Reviews, Stage Reviews

San Francisco Opera 2023-24 Review: Omar

https://operawire.com/san-francisco-opera-2023-24-review-omar/

Omar is a man, forcibly taken from his home in West Africa in 1807, and brought through the Middle Passage to America. He is sold into slavery in South Carolina and treated with brutality. He maintains his Muslim faith and eventually while in captivity, writes his autobiography in Arabic. “Omar” is an opera created by MacArthur Fellowship recipient Rhiannon Giddens, {…}

Business, News

Opera America Partners With US Opera Companies for Opera Passport Program

https://operawire.com/opera-america-partners-with-us-opera-companies-for-opera-passport-program/

Opera America has announced the creation of Opera Passport, a new program that offers savings to traveling operagoers. Per an official press statement, Opera Passport gives at least a 10 percent discount on tickets to subscribers at participating companies. Among the companies involved in the program are Anchorage Opera, Arizona Opera, Ars Lyrica Houston, Austin Opera, BARN Opera, Boston Baroque, {…}

News

CRB Classical 99.5 to Broadcast Boston Lyric Opera’s Production of ‘Omar’

https://operawire.com/wcrb-to-broadcast-boston-lyric-operas-production-of-omar/

CRB Classical 99.5 is set to broadcast the New England premiere of Rhiannon Giddens and Michael Abels’ “Omar.” The work, which had its local premiere back in May, will be broadcast on Sept. 10, 2023 starting at 7 p.m. The opera stars Jamez McCorkle, Cierra Byrd, Daniel Okulitch, Brianna J. Robinson, Emma Sorenson, Catherine Anne Daniel, Nicholas Lagesse, Fred C. {…}

News

Academy of Vocal Arts Announces 2023-24 Resident Artists

https://operawire.com/academy-of-vocal-arts-announces-2023-24-artists-in-residence/

The Academy of Vocal Arts (AVA) has announced the addition of six new singers to its Resident Artists roster. The newly appointed Resident Artists include tenor Joshua Berg, soprano Manli Deng, mezzo-soprano Ariana Maubach, soprano Veronica Richer, baritone Geoffrey Schmelzer, and bass-baritone Nan Wang. “We are thrilled to welcome these extraordinary artists to the Academy of Vocal Arts. They represent {…}

Special Features

The Untold Story of Omar ibn Said in Rhiannon Giddens and Michael Abels’ ‘Omar’

https://operawire.com/the-untold-story-of-omar-ibn-said-in-rhiannon-giddens-and-michael-abels-omar/

The world of new opera is a fascinating place. Many new operas explore the end of time, making cake, or questionable life choices. But others cover historical moments and figures that should be explored. Composed by Rhiannon Giddens and Michael Abels, their new opera “Omar” looks at the figure Omar ibn Said and his life as an enslaved Muslim in America. {…}

News

‘Omar’ wins the Pulitzer Prize

https://operawire.com/omar-wins-the-pulitzer-prize/

The Pulitzer Prize has awarded “Omar,” by Rhiannon Giddens and Michael Abels, its Music Prize. The opera, which premiered on May 27, 2022 at the Spoleto Festival USA in Charleston, S.C., is an innovative and compelling opera about enslaved people brought to North America from Muslim countries. The musical work respectfully represents African as well as African-American traditions, expanding the {…}

Opera Wiki

Opera Profile: Kaija Saariaho’s ‘Émilie’

https://operawire.com/opera-wiki-kaija-saariahos-emilie/

(PC: JP Maurin) Émilie is a 75-minute, nine-scene opera by the Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho which takes its plot from the historical figure Marquise Émilie du Châtelet (1706-1749), polyglot and mistress to famous French philosopher François-Marie Arouet (or Voltaire). The work, while its own opera, is to be considered related to Saariaho’s 2006 oratorio La Passion de Simone. The work {…}

IndieOpera

Dell’Arte Opera Ensemble Announces New Gardens Concert Set for April 16, 2023

https://operawire.com/dellarte-opera-ensemble-announces-new-gardens-concert-set-for-april-16-2023/

Dell’Arte Opera Ensemble is set to resume its Garden Concerts on April 16, 2023. The showcase, which is set to take place at the Campos Community Gardens in New York City, will star soprano Jenny Ribeiro, soprano Ellen Teufel, and mezzo-soprano Heather Jones. Chris. Fecteau will perform at the piano in a program featuring music by Brahms, Händel, Grieg, and {…}

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Obituary: Conductor Robert Hart Baker Dies at 69

San Francisco Opera 2023-24 Review: Omar

Opera America Partners With US Opera Companies for Opera Passport Program

CRB Classical 99.5 to Broadcast Boston Lyric Opera’s Production of ‘Omar’

Academy of Vocal Arts Announces 2023-24 Resident Artists

The Untold Story of Omar ibn Said in Rhiannon Giddens and Michael Abels’ ‘Omar’

‘Omar’ wins the Pulitzer Prize

Opera Profile: Kaija Saariaho’s ‘Émilie’

Dell’Arte Opera Ensemble Announces New Gardens Concert Set for April 16, 2023