Since finishing his ensemble position at the Semperoper Dresden, baritone Zachary Nelson has built a formidable resume making important company and role debuts. Now he adds another major company debut in his favorite Mozart opera, “Le Nozze di Figaro.” The American baritone will make his first appearances with Arizona Opera as the Count in a new production. The season will {…}
“Silent Night,” Puts’ first opera, received its premiere at Minnesota opera in 2011 and won a Pulitzer Prize the following year. According to its libretto, during a late December in World War I, French, German and Scottish troops found it possible to declare an unofficial “truce” and celebrate a common holiday in brotherhood. This story has been told in several other artistic formats including the French film “Joyeux Noël” on which Campbell based his libretto.
This weekend we will shine a spotlight on a mix of repertory staples and some rarer works. Here are our weekend choices in alphabetical order by company. Silent Night – Arizona Opera The Kevin Puts-Mark Campbell collaboration continues to make the rounds around the country, making it essential viewing. This weekend, audiences can check out the final performances of Arizona {…}
On January 25, 2019, Arizona Opera presented Giuseppe Verdi’s opera of love and death, “La Traviata” at the Phoenix Symphony Hall—a perfect vehicle for the debut of 2017 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions Winner Vanessa Vasquez. Currently a recent graduate of the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia, Vasquez gave each note a beginning, a middle and a well planned {…}
Arizona Opera has announced its 2019-20 season, which will feature a number of modern works and two major classics. The season opens in September with the world premiere of the Taliesin West version of “Shining Brow” by librettist Paul Muldoon and composer Daron Hagen. The work will be conducted by Lidiya Yankovskaya with Chas Rader-Shieber directing the production. Among the {…}
“Charlie Parker’s Yardbird” features music by saxophone virtuoso Daniel Schnyder and a libretto by playwright Bridgette A. Wimberly. Since it premiered in 2015 at Opera Philadelphia, several the work has premiered with a number of companies, including the Lyric Opera of Chicago and the English National Opera. Perhaps the most interesting locale for “Yardbird” was its presentation at Harlem’s Apollo Theatre {…}
Composer Astor Piazzolla and librettist Horacio Ferrer premiered the Spanish language tango opera “Maria de Buenos Aires” in that city in 1968. Arizona Opera presented it at the Temple of Music and Art in Tucson on October 6, 2018. The opera tells of life in the demi-monde found on the wrong side of the tracks. Its characters are prostitutes, wife {…}
The opera season is up and running. Don’t believe me? Well just take a look at the over one-dozen companies that are putting on productions this weekend. Here are our major picks for this busy weekend, which marries new works with classic repertoire (in alphabetical order by company). Maria de Buenos Aires – Arizona Opera Piazzolla’s opera has arguably never {…}
This weekend is all about variety with some companies showcasing perennial classics and three others showing modern works with tremendous socio-political relevance. Das Rheingold – Arizona Opera Opera Arizona will showcase the first installment in Wagner’s famed tetralogy with Mark Delavan as Wotan, Rodell Rosel as Loge, Richard Paul Fink as Alberich, Daveda Karanas as Fricka, and Dana Beth Miller {…}
Arizona Opera has announced that it will be entering a meaningful new chapter of artistic vibrancy and community engagement that will excite both longtime opera lovers and newcomers alike. In a press release the company announced that beginning in the 2018-19 Season, it will expand its programming to curate a more inclusive opera season – one that continues to deliver {…}
Another operatic weekend. Another set of opening performances around North America. The big one on the radar is “Samson et Dalila” at the Dallas Opera, which is set to star Olga Borodina. The opera opens on Friday with another performance set for Sunday. Houston Grand Opera opens its production of “La Traviata” on Saturday. Additionally, the Florentine Opera opens its {…}
