https://operawire.com/artist-of-the-week-luca-salsi-2/
(Credit: Teatro alla Scala / Brescia – Amisano) One of the most important days on the opera world calendar is the opening of the Teatro alla Scala. Big stars. New productions. At the close of the calendar year. All at the world’s most legendary opera house. No surprise that this year is as big as any other with the company {…}
https://operawire.com/the-opera-world-its-greatest-stars-mourn-legendary-soprano-edita-gruberova/
Following the death of legendary soprano Edita Gruberová, many of opera’s biggest stars have paid homage to one of the greatest divas of operatic history. Coloratura soprano Lisette Oropesa praised the soprano stating, “Dear, sweet voice of an angel!! Your beauty and grace in all you sang was an inspiration and always a testament to your mastery. We love you, {…}
https://operawire.com/obituary-soprano-karan-armstrong-dies-at-79/
On Sept. 28, 2021, soprano Karan Armstrong died at the age of 79 in Marbella, Spain. Born in Havre, Montana on Dec. 14, 1941, Armstrong originally trained as a pianist and graduated with a Bachelor of Music from Concordia College in 1963. She went on to study with Lotte Lehmann in Santa Barbara, California, and made her operatic debut in {…}
https://operawire.com/artist-of-the-week-sebastian-catana/
This week the Teatro Carlo Felice di Genova is set to open its new season with a new production of “Sull’essere angeli” and “Pagliacci” directed by Cristian Taraborrelli. The production will be realized in collaboration with RAI Cultura and will be broadcast on Italian television. It will also mark the house debut of baritone Sebastian Catana as Tonio. Catana, who {…}
https://operawire.com/obituary-american-soprano-carmen-balthrop-dies-at-73/
Soprano Carmen Balthrop has died at the age of 73. Born in Maryland, the soprano went on to win the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and made her Met debut in 1977 as Pamina in Mozart’s “Die Zauberflöte.” She went on to have a distinguished career at major opera houses including San Francisco Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Washington National Opera, Canadian {…}
https://operawire.com/salzburg-festival-2021-review-intolleranza-1960/
(Credit: SF/Maarten Vanden Abeele) Venetian composer Luigi Nono is no stranger at the Salzburg Festival. His operas and instrumental works have been regularly played here over the past decade. However, his most outspoken and outraged work, directed against the persistent violence perpetrated against innocent people was presented at the festival for the very first time. “Intolleranza 1960” premiered at Teatro {…}
https://operawire.com/artist-of-the-week-antonio-coriano/
(Credit: © Eric Dervaux) Verdi’s “Aroldo” is one of the composer’s rarest works, one that rarely gets produced. The work was based on and adapted from the composer’s earlier 1850 opera, “Stiffelio” and went on to get its world premiere in 1857. This week the Teatro Amintore Galli will present a new production with a distinguished cast of rising stars {…}
https://operawire.com/obituary-italian-conductor-gianluigi-gelmetti-dies-75/
(Credit: Athole Still Artists) On August 11, Gianluigi Gelmetti died at the age of 75 in Monte Carlo. The celebrated conductor was born on Sept. 11, 1945 in Rome, Italy where his father was a pianist and his mother was a poet. Gelmetti went on to study at the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia where he became interested in music, {…}
https://operawire.com/artist-of-the-week-teresa-iervolino/
(Credit: Paolo Conserva) The Festival Valle d’Itria is well known for presenting obscure, neglected, or rarely performed works and always explores diverse themes. This year the festival’s theme is “Fiat Lux” meaning a new beginning. Among the program this year are works by Scarlatti and Haydn. There will also be a production of Porporra’s “L’Angelica,” a serenata from 1720. The {…}