(Photo: ROF/Amati Bacciardi) There are many operas that rarely see the light of day. Even some works by the great composers are lucky to receive more than an occasional staging; one need only think of Wagner’s or Verdi’s early works. Often, this neglect is unjustified, but sometimes, it’s simply because the opera is not very good. Second Rate Rossini Unfortunately, {…}
Jan. 13, 2022, saw the second performance in the Metropolitan Opera’s run of Puccini’s “La Boheme.” As the perennially-beautiful Zeffirelli production continues to delight, the evening’s cast, led by Maestro Carlo Rizzi, succeeded in bringing their passion and vitality to bear before the audience. Outstanding Leads Fresh from his work with the Berlin Staatsoper, Charles Castronovo was in fine form {…}
Opera Rara has announced it will be recording Leoncavallo’s “Zingari.” The record company announced that it will record the rarely performed work and perform it at Cadogan Hall on Dec. 3 with a cast that includes Krassimira Stoyanova, Carlos Álvarez, Łukasz Goliński, and Arsen Soghomonyan. Carlo Rizzi, the company’s new Music Director will lead the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. The new {…}
(Credit: Johan Person) “Les vêpres siciliennes” is one of Verdi’s few substantive forays into the bloated dimensions of Meyerbeerian grand opera, and less frequently performed than its iconic companions “Aida” and “Don Carlo.” David Pountney’s new production of Verdi’s 1855 story of revolution, love and duty, created in collaboration with the Theater Bonn, was hotly anticipated as it marked the {…}
(Credit: Tessa Traeger) Operavision will kick off its 2019-20 series of live streams with Puccini’s “La Bohème” from the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Mumbai on September 6, 2019. The famed opera will feature Giordano Lucà as Rodolfo with Olena Tokar as Mimì. Other cast members include Maria Mudryak, Andrea Bonsignore, Andrea Concetti, Daniele Terenzi, and Matteo Peirone. {…}
Opera Rara has announced that Carlo Rizzi will be Opera Rara’s Artistic Director succeeding Sir Mark Elder, who will step down in September 2019. Rizzi first collaborated with Opera Rara in 2017 on two discs of bel canto arias with Joyce El-Khoury and Michael Spyres titled Écho and Espoir and set to conduct numerous future projects with the company. Elder finishes his tenure conducting Puccini’s first {…}
Arrigo Boito’s “Mefistofele” is a work of glorious moments that has yet to find a stable place in the standard repertoire. Despite being derived from Goethe’s famed “Faust,” great arias for the major leads, and an amazing part for any opera house’s chorus, it has never been as popular as other adaptations of the same source material(ie: Gounod’s “Faust”). In {…}
Puccini’s “Tosca” received its 966th performance at the Metropolitan Opera on Thursday, Oct. 25. The work featured the second revival of David McVicar’s production from last season, with some unique distinctions. As noted in last year’s review of this production, this version of the work’s success will live or die based on whether the performers bring a strong perspective to {…}
Maestro Carlo Rizzi has led over 180 performances at the Met and when all is said and done in 2017-18, he will have topped 200 performances with the company. He has led works by such composers from a vast range of Italian composers including Puccini, Verdi, Donizetti, and Rossini. Of all the works he has conducted, “La Bohème” has been {…}
This week one of the greatest opera stars in the world will release her first crossover album, while two rising stars team up for distinct Bel canto albums. Meanwhile, Decca releases a new compilation of Pavarotti’s favorite arias. Romanza Anna Netrebko releases a new CD this week entitled “Romanza.” The CD marks Netrebko’s first crossover album featuring love songs written {…}
This review is for the performance on Wednesday January 11 and is written jointly by David & Francisco Salazar. Applause rang from every corner of the Metropolitan Opera, the audience awaiting the final performer to step onstage so that she too could get her accolades. The moment Ailyn Pérez walked out of the iconic golden curtain, she was not only {…}