Polish tenor Piotr Beczala was born on this day, December 28, exactly 50 years ago. In celebration of the tenor’s big day, Operawire shares 50 facts about the operatic superstar. Piotr Beczala was born on Dec. 28, 1966. He is from Czechowice-Dziedzice in southern Poland. He studied under Sena Jurinac in Switzerland. He is married to Katarzyna Beczała. Beczala is known for choosing his roles wisely {…}
Fans will get a chance to meet with Placido Domingo at the Metropolitan Opera Store on Jan 4, 2017 at 3 p.m. The legendary singer will be on hand to sign CD’s and DVD’s from his massive recording library. The tenor-turned-baritone releases new recordings every year. His most recent arrivals include a DVD of Verdi’s “I Due Foscari” at the {…}
Latvian director Alvis Hermanis has backed out of a production of Lohengrin in Bayreuth. According to MV Online, the director’s political views were not necessarily at the core of his decision to renounce the production. Last year he quit a production in Hamburg, citing a disdain for Germany’s open border policies toward refugees. He published a statement in three languages {…}
Superstar baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky is in the hospital with pneumonia but is “out of danger,” according to Russian state agency Tass. The agency reported on Tuesday that the singer was taken to hospital in St. Petersburg with pneumonia. The singer’s condition is said to be normal, though there is no telling when he might be discharged from the hospital. It has {…}
This year is coming to a close and after having looked back at some of the milestones certain stars made this year, it is time to look at 2017. There is so much to look forward to as many of the greatest stars will take on new roles while other will reprise signature roles in new productions with star-studded casts. {…}
Are you finished with your holiday shopping? Are you stuck and have no ideas on what to buy? OperaWire has compiled a list of some of the best new releases from 2016 that will make for a great gift. CDS Anna Netrebko’s New Recordings Two of the best recordings this year are from Anna Netrebko. Her new Verismo album features some of {…}
There is never a dull moment in the opera world as singers are constantly traveling and exploring new locations. While some singers are preparing for their holiday seasons, others are already preparing upcoming roles or recitals. Lets take a look at where some of the most popular stars were in this week’s Social Media Beat. Pretty Yende The South African {…}
The weekend is upon us and that means many operas will be presented around the world. Many theaters will offer holiday presentations while some of the greatest singers return to the stage such as Renee Fleming, Simon Keenlyside, Rolando Villazon, Anna Netrebko, Rene Pape and Nina Stemme. Austria Simon Keenlyside returns to the Vienna State Opera for Verdi’s “Macbeth” with the {…}
Every year has a share of rising and breakout stars as well as opera singers who solidify or take their careers in new directions. Others make important debuts or create roles that audiences would have never expected and conquer. This is what makes a performer stick in an audience’s mind for the whole year. For this year OperaWire has put {…}
On Dec. 13, Anna Netrebko held a gala evening in Vienna where she presented her author’s tea set “Aida” in collaboration with Imperial Porcelain. During the evening, a charity auction took place with a unique pre-series sample of the tea set as a lot. Featuring alternative colors, it is the only copy, completely hand-made, which sequence number is 0000. The money raised {…}
The repertoire for Anna Netrebko and Yusif Eyvazov’s Feb. 27 concert in Paris has been announced with numerous surprises. After performing a number of concerts featuring verismo repertoire, this upcoming concert will feature Verdi in the first half. The soprano will return to arias from “La Traviata” a few days before her farewell performances of the role at the Teatro {…}