(Credit: Catherine Ashmore / Royal Opera House) At the tender age of 12, Jonathan Kent’s 2004 production of Tosca is among the fledglings of the Royal Opera roster. Visually simplistic and at times homogeneous, it eschews the archetypical velvet red and gleaming gold numerous incarnations of the opera take in favor of a dusky navy that enrobes the Sant’Andrea church, {…}
The weekend is here and it’s an interesting one. Two of the works we recommend feature some of the most acclaimed singers in the world and then there is a “Tosca” marathon with three of the greatest interpreters performing the role in Dresden, London, and Barcelona. Manon – Wiener Staatsoper, Austria Juan Diego Flórez and Nino Machaidze continue their first {…}
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 Ron Howard’s upcoming {…}
The Celebrity Series of Boston has announced its 2019-20, the 81st for the organization. There is a wide range of performances that will take place throughout the season, but as always, our focus will be on vocal and operatic performances. Soprano Ying Fang will make her Boston Debut as part of the Debut Series. She will perform at Longy’s Pickman {…}
The Semperoper Dresden has announced its slate for 2019-20, which will include seven new productions to go along with 23 revivals. New Productions Rossini’s “Il Viaggio a Reims” is directed by Laura Scozzi with a cast that includes Elena Gorshunova, Maria Kataeva, Tuuli Takala, Iulia Maria Dan, Taylor Stayton, Edgardo Rocha, Georg Zeppenfeld, Maurizio Muraro, Martin-Jan Nijhof, Christoph Pohl, Tilmann {…}
Angela Gheorghiu is scheduled to recieve the Premio Puccini on Dec. 14, 2018. The soprano will be recognized with the prestigious award for her memorable Puccini interpretations in “Tosca,” “Turandot,” La Rondine,” and “La Bohème” by the Sindacate of Viareggio Giorgio del Ghingaro and the President of the of the Alberto Veronessi foundation. The ceremony will take place at the {…}
Autobiographies are interesting artifacts. They give the subject in question an opportunity to set the record straight and create the point of reference for their particular life experience. As we glance through autobiographies, it is always curious to wonder at the particular perspective being offered on certain items and how other perspectives might differ or coincide with the account given. {…}
Romanian soprano Angela Gheorghiu has cemented her legacy as one of the finest divas of the late 20th and early 21st century. Born on Sept. 7, 1965, she was an opera star very early on. She made her international debut in 1990 as Mimì in “La Bohème” at the Cluj-Napoca Romanian National Opera. Two years later she made her international debut at {…}
It’s a star-studded weekend. Anna Netrebko, Jonas Kaufmann, Sonya Yoncheva, Angela Gheorghiu, and many others perform around the world. Here is a look at what you cannot miss this weekend. Nabucco – Prague National Theatre, Czech Republic Jose Cura directs a new production of Verdi’s early work with Anda-Louise Bogza in the role of Abigaille and Miguelangelo Cavalcanti in the title {…}
Angela Gheorghiu has canceled her participation in the Special Concert: Giuseppe Verdi at the Deutsche Oper Berlin. As a result, three sopranos will take over the repertoire Gheorghiu was originally intended to perform. Nicole Car, Irina Churilova, and Seyoung Park will all take turns singing arias from “Il Trovatore,” “La Forza del Destino,” “Otello,” and “Simon Boccanegra.” Car is currently {…}
Opera Vlaanderen and Ballet has announced its 2018-19 season, featuring a number of rarely performed works and repertoire staples. There will also be a world premiere and a number of concerts. For this season announcement, we have only focused on the vocal events. Productions Wagner’s “Lohengrin” opens the season with Zoran Todorovich in the title role. David Alden directs the production {…}