Eric Owens Takes on New Role At Glimmerglass Festival

https://operawire.com/eric-owens-takes-on-new-role-at-glimmerglass-festival/

Eric Owens has been appointed the Artistic Advisor for the Glimmerglass Festival. The famed bass-baritone will be consulting closely with the festival’s Artistic and General Director Francesca Zambello and Music Director Joseph Colaneri regarding the repertoire and casting. He will also be performing roles on the mainstage in the 2018 and 2019 season. “I believe passionately in artists continuing their {…}

Editorials

Editorial: 7 Ways The Metropolitan Opera Could Bring In New Audiences & Improve Customer Experience As It Struggles With Ticket Sales

https://operawire.com/editorial-7-ways-the-metropolitan-opera-could-bring-in-new-audiences-improve-customer-experience-as-it-struggles-with-ticket-sales/

Let me preface this by saying that I love the Metropolitan Opera. It is my home opera house and OperaWire.com does not exist if not for the hundreds of nights spent at that house over the past decade. But it was truly disheartening this week to read that the company is still struggling to fill the theater. The New York {…}

IndieOpera

New York Opera Fest 2017: Light Opera of New York (LOONY) To Showcase Offenbach Work

https://operawire.com/new-york-opera-fest-2017-light-opera-of-new-york-loony-to-showcase-offenbach-work/

Light Opera of New York will showcase a rare Offenbach’s work this weekend as part of the New York Opera Fest. The opera in question, “The Island of Tulipatan,” will be presented on May 19, 2017 with a follow-up performance on the 20th in the matinee slot at 2:30 p.m. EDT. The opera will be directed by Gary Slavin with {…}

Special Features

Best of Metropolitan Opera 2016-17: Anna Netrebko, Plácido Domingo Lead The Top 10 Casts Of the Year

https://operawire.com/best-of-metropolitan-opera-2016-17-anna-netrebko-placido-domingo-lead-the-top-10-casts-of-the-year/

After looking at the top female and male singers as well as the finest maestros of the 2016-17 season, we now turn the spotlight on the 10 best-assembled casts of the season. This was a truly difficult piece to put together as this Met season had great casts for almost every single opera. But the casts listed below were simply {…}

On This Day, Special Features

Francesco Maria Piave’s Librettos For Composers Not Named Verdi

https://operawire.com/francesco-maria-piaves-librettos-for-composers-not-named-verdi/

Everyone remembers Francesco Maria Piave for his extensive association with Giuseppe Verdi. The librettist, born on May 18, 1810, famously wrote 10 librettos for the famed composer, including such masterworks as “Rigoletto,” “La Traviata” and “Macbeth.” But his output was not limited to just Verdi works. In fact, he wrote a plethora of librettos for other composers. Here is a {…}

Behind the Scenes, IndieOpera, Interviews

Q&A: How SIGN & SING Transforms The Opera Experience for Deaf & Hard-of-Hearing Communities

https://operawire.com/qa-how-sign-sing-is-allowing-the-deaf-hard-of-hearing-communities-experience-opera/

A few weeks ago, I sat in a small theater at the National Opera Center for a preview of some of the works being offered at this year’s New York Opera Fest. While there were both traditional and unique experiences showcased that evening, I was particularly drawn to a powerful moment during which three different people came onstage to perform {…}

IndieOpera

New York Opera Fest 2017: Rhymes with Opera Presents ‘Coping Mechanisms’

https://operawire.com/new-york-opera-fest-2017-rhymes-with-opera-presents-coping-mechanisms/

As part of the New York Opera Fest, Rhymes with Opera will present “Coping Mechanisms” on May 19 at 8:00 p.m EDT and then again on May 20 at the same time. The production will take place at the 124 Bank Street Theatre for both nights. This will be the final show of Rhymes With Opera’s (RWO) 2016-2017 season. Founding {…}

News

Martina Arroyo Foundation Announces Summer 2017 Program

https://operawire.com/martina-arroyo-foundation-announces-summer-2017-program/

The Martina Arroyo Foundation has announced its operatic prelude to performance selections and master series programs for the summer. The Prelude to Performance will feature Bizet’s “Carmen” starring Emily Righter in the title role, Ben Werley, a young artist with Florida Grand Opera, as Don José, and Brian Major as Escamillo. Opera Tampa’s Daniel Lipton conducts. The following opera will be a {…}