Tenor Roberto Alagna is set to appear on the stage of the Royal Opera House for the 100th time in his career when he appears in the title role of “Andrea Chénier.” The opening night performance is set for May 20, 2019. Alagna made his debut with the company back in 1992 as Rodolfo in Puccini’s “La Bohème” and has {…}
Bulgarian baritone Vladimir Stoyanov is one of the leading singers of his generation performing in many of the world’s leading companies. He has performed in such theaters as the Plovdiv Opera House, La Scala, the Metropolitan Opera, Berlin State Opera, Vienna State Opera, Zürich Opera, Teatro Real, La Fenice, Teatro Regio, Teatro Massimo, Royal Swedish Opera, and San Francisco Opera, {…}
Born on August 28 1867 in Foggia, Umberto Giordano would go on to become one of the most renowned Italian composers of the verismo era. He wrote his first opera “Marina” for a competition that would mark the beginning of the Verismo era. For years the composer experimented with differing works, including “Mala Vita” and “Regina Diaz,” though he found {…}
Giordano’s “Andrea Chénier” is in many ways a sibling of Puccini’s “Tosca.” Both were sired by librettist Luigi Illica and both share the staple verismo ingredients of sex, politics, romantic obsession, frustrated baritones, and a grim end for the protagonists. There is also the common factor of youth in all its sanguine exuberance. Cavaradossi and Chénier are idealists with fatal {…}
Jonas Kaufmann brings his famed interpretation of Giordano’s “Andrea Chénier” to the Vienna State Opera in a production that will be live streamed online as part of the company’s season-long series. The showcase on April 29 will be the tenor’s second production of the opera in just a few weeks. He performed the title role in Barcelona a few weeks {…}
Russian Baritone Sergei Leiferkus, born on April 4, 1946, is recognized for his unique vocal quality. If you haven’t heard him before, then you should, because he has one of the most individual sounds you’ll ever hear. In fact, here’s an excerpt from a role we will talk about in a bit. In any case, the baritone enjoyed a solid {…}
Umberto Giordano will forever be remembered for one opera, “Andrea Chénier.” The work, which world premiered on March 28, 1896, remains renowned for its sweeping romantic melodies, becoming a major vehicle for the star tenor that is tasked with four major solo passages on top of two extended duets with soprano. The opera’s famed aria “La Mamma Morta” has become {…}
There is something of Halley’s comet about Umberto Giordano’s most famous opera “Andrea Chénier.” It reappears every so often (happily not so infrequently as every 75 years) excites and dazzles, leaves verismo fanatics in paroxysms of delight, then vanishes back into the operatic firmament. With the recent notable exception at La Scala, productions of “Andrea Chénier” have invariably been connected to {…}
Today is opening night at the Teatro alla Scala and as every year the opera is scheduled to be streamed on the radio, broadcast on television and streamed to cinemas. So how can audiences tune to into the event? Here is how! For Italian audiences RAi 1 will showcase the video recording beginning at 17:45 Italian time while RAI 3 {…}
Over the past few years Yusif Eyvazov’s star has been in ascension. Since his breakout in 2014, when he performed “Manon Lescaut” with Anna Netrebko at the Teatro dell’opera di Roma, the tenor has debuted in many of the greatest theaters. However, this week he will headline his biggest assignment yet. Eyvazov will open the Teatro Alla Scala 2017-18 season {…}
“Opera Meets Film” is a feature dedicated to exploring the way that opera has been employed in cinema. We will select a section or a film in its entirety, highlighting the impact that utilizing the operatic form or sections from an opera can alter our perception of a film that we are viewing. This week’s installment features Jonathan Demme’s “Philadelphia.” {…}