Hawai’i Opera Theatre Announces 2020-21 Digital Fall Season

https://operawire.com/hawaii-opera-theatre-announces-2020-21-digital-fall-season/

Hawai’i Opera Theatre has announced its digital 2020-21 season. For the new season, the organization has created completely original content featuring local talent from Honolulu. Concerts will be presented via the Hawai’i Opera Theatre’s virtual concert hall. “The COVID-19 pandemic has forced all performing arts organizations to reimagine how we share our art. While nothing can replace the thrill of {…}

IndieOpera

Opera Ithaca Launches Trailer for ‘Gianni Schicchi’

https://operawire.com/opera-ithaca-launches-trailer-for-gianni-schicchi/

Opera Ithaca has launched a trailer for its upcoming video production of “Gianni Schicchi.” The opera will begin streaming on Oct. 9, 2020 through Cinemapolis, Ithaca’s premiere independent movie theater, at a cost of $25. Musicians and other members of the artistic team are Ithaca locals, while the soloists are renowned opera stars from around the world. Dennis Jesse takes {…}

News

Luca Pisaroni Headlines Decameron Opera Coalition’s Operatic Reimagining of ‘The Decameron’

https://operawire.com/luca-pisaroni-headlines-decameron-opera-coalitions-operatic-reimagining-of-the-decameron/

(Credit: Frances Marshall) In 1353, a few years after the Black Death raged in Florence, Giovanni Boccaccio finished “The Decameron,” 100 stories told by seven women and three men holed up in a countryside villa as they awaited the passing of the plague. It’s a classic of literature, many times bawdy, sometimes tragic, and extremely apropos considering our present-day pandemic. {…}

Interviews, Stage Spotlight

Q & A: Alice Chung on MARLI, Wear Yellow Proudly & Change In Opera

https://operawire.com/q-a-alice-chung-on-marli-wearing-yellow-proudly-change-in-opera/

(Credit: Courtesy of Music Academy of the West) Back in April the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara cancelled the in-person part of its summer program. As a result, it put all of its resources into building a high-quality online program for the summer called MARLI (Music Academy Remote Learning Institute). The program provided quality technology and training {…}

IndieOpera, News

Opera America Announces Innovation Grant Winners for 2020

https://operawire.com/opera-america-announces-innovation-grant-winners-for-2020/

OPERA America has announced the 13 Professional Company Members who will receive a total of $980,000 in the fourth cycle of the organization’s Innovation Grants program. Recipients of a two-year grant are American Lyric Theater, Center for Contemporary Opera, The Glimmerglass Festival, IN Series, Michigan Opera Theatre, Opera Omaha, Opera Saratoga, Portland Opera, and San Diego Opera. Recipients of a {…}

Special Features

Are Online Concerts the Future of Opera?

https://operawire.com/are-online-concerts-the-future-of-opera/

The world has been shifting more and more towards digital forms of entertainment due to the global pandemic. This has resulted in countless online-only events, gigs, and concerts that have taken the place of live, in-person events. In the world of live musical performances, this translates to not just new challenges, but also fresh and exciting possibilities as well. And {…}

Behind the Scenes, Interviews

Q & A : Justin Werner on Creating Stratagem Artists & Navigating a Post-COVID Opera World

https://operawire.com/q-a-justin-werner-on-creating-stratagem-artists-navigating-a-post-covid-opera-world/

Justin Werner thought his path in the opera world would be focused on performing. But early on in his training, he came to terms with the fact that it might not be the right path for him. He moved into production with the independent opera company New York Opera Exchange (he also founded the Independent Student Opera Initiative at Boston {…}

News

LA Opera Cancels Remainder of 2019-20 Season, Comes to Agreement With Labor Unions

https://operawire.com/la-opera-cancels-remainder-of-2019-20-season-comes-to-agreement-with-labor-unions/

The LA Opera has announced that it has canceled its performances of “The Marriage of Figaro.” More importantly, the organization has also reached agreements with unions regarding cancellations of the run as well as performances of “Pelléas et Mélisande.” The performances encompassed what remained of the company’s 2019-20 season. Per agreements with unions, the company’s “Pelléas et Mélisande” was canceled {…}