Few composers in the history of opera were as influential as Christoph Willibald Gluck. Born on July 2, 1714, the composer was one of the major reformers of the artform of his day. He was noted as being critical of opera of his day and how it had strayed from its origins. He sought to bring back the sense of {…}
It was in 1951 that the Italian director Pier Luigi Pizzi began working in the theatre, and now, incredibly, at the age of 87, and over 65 years later, he is still going strong. Returning to Florence’s Teatro Maggio Musicale for a reprise of a production of Gluck’s “Alceste,” which he originally staged in 2015 at Venice’s La Fenice, Pizzi {…}
Maria Callas is arguably THE greatest opera star in history. Born on Dec. 2, 1923, the Greek singer (who was born in New York City) would become a turning point in the history of the art form, with some going so far as to claim there was a period “Before Callas” and one “After Callas.” Leonard Bernstein called her “The {…}
When you hear the name Leonard Warren, you always hear another name – Verdi. The baritone, born on April 21, 1911, was dedicated to the great Italian and practically sang every great baritone role that Verdi wrote. You name it. For many, he was the ultimate Rigoletto (he performed the opera 89 times at the Metropolitan Opera), while others will {…}