Despite living in a horrific Nazi concentration camp, Jaap Polak and Ina Soep continued to write love letters to one another. The couple’s letters were published in 2000 and were featured in a documentary film of this same title. Their relationship inspired Composer Gerald Cohen and librettist Deborah Brevoort‘s first opera together, “Steal a Pencil for Me.” The couple was {…}
Photos by Matt Madison-Clark This review is of the July 23, 2022, Berkshire Opera Fest Performance “At the heart of what we do is produce the greatest opera at the highest level. The Berkshires is a magical place. There was a void of opera, and so here we are,” Jonathon Loy, Berkshire Opera Fest’s (BOF) Co-founder and Director of Production, {…}
The Berkshire Opera Festival is set to open its 2022 summer season with a new production of Jake Heggie’s “Three Decembers.” The production will be performed on July 21 and 23 at PS21 in Chatham, NY and will be conducted by Christopher James Ray. Beth Greenberg, who will direct the production, says, “Buried secrets…dark whispers…love, and devastating loss…all collide and {…}
Over 100 singers came together for a video performance of “Light Shall Lift Us,” a work by librettist Mark Campbell and composer Paul Moravec. The duo, which has worked together on “The Shining” proposed the idea to Marc Scorca of Opera America, who embraced the idea and helped put together the 107 artists who would eventually record their individual parts {…}
October is at an end and opera season is in full force. This weekend features a plethora of fascinating options across the country, making it truly challenging to single out a few specific performances. And despite the high quality all around, we zeroed in on a few showcases that we feel really rise to the top. Here are our top {…}
On Friday, Jan. 25, 2019, audiences around the U.S. will get a chance to check out Minnesota Opera’s production of “Doubt.” The showcase, which kicks off at 9 p.m. EDT, will feature the production of Douglas J. Cuomo and John Patrick Shanley’s adaptation of the 2005 Broadway play (which was also the basis for the 2008 film). The production was {…}