Opera Philadelphia’s 2023-2024 Season closes with a new production of Puccini’s “Madama Butterfly.” The new production designed by Yuki Izumihara and directed by Ethan Heard seeks to explore ─ and explode ─ the opera’s core, damaging stereotype of “the submissive, self-sacrificing Asian woman.” In a statement, Izumihara said, “Puccini trapped his Butterfly in a beautiful score. In turn, ‘Madame Butterfly’ {…}
The World Operalia Competition has announced the finalists for the 2022 edition. The finalists in the opera category include USA mezzo-soprano Maire Therese Carmack, USA tenor Anthony Ciaramitaro, Armenian soprano Juliana Grigoryan, South Korean bass-baritone Jongwon Han, Finnish soprano Jenni Hietala, South Korean bass In-Ho Jeong, bass, USA tenor Duke Kim, USA tenor, Anthony León, USA tenor James Ley, South {…}
Photo: Alan Chin Authoritarian governments don’t pop up overnight, they grow day by day, sometimes imperceptibly. Little things snowball, and soon, certain “undesirable” communities become targets of opprobrium, violence, and extermination. Hatred is equal opportunity, sparing neither the rich, the poor. It is on this canvas that composer Ricky Ian Gordon and librettist Michael Korie paint their adaptation of Giorgio {…}
Los Angeles Opera has announced its streaming schedule starting on the week of Sept. 7, 2020. First up in the LAO at Home slate will be “Song of Los Angeles,” a concert presentation featuring participants of the virtual Opera Camp. Streaming Date: Sept. 9, 2020 at 2 p.m. PDT The week’s streaming schedule will draw to a close with a {…}