(Photo © Courtesy of the artists & the US-China Music Institute of the Bard College Conservatory of Music) Two black granite stones, each 246.75 feet long, carve a V-shape into the earth with the names of 58,000-plus dead soldiers in chronological order. Maya Lin’s Vietnam Veterans Memorial is more than meets the eye. In 1981, the 21-year-old Yale student who {…}
Following the departure of the Washington National Opera’s decision to leave the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, more than 60 artists have signed an open letter pledging support to the company. The letter, which is an ongoing effort organized by Pulitzer and Grammy-award winning librettist Mark Campbell, states “We, the undersigned, support the recent decision between Washington {…}
The beloved Chinese hero, Monkey, landed in San Francisco Friday night, complete with an entourage of dancers, singers, acrobats, and antics that came from an ancient story revisited, along with video-games and comics, among others. In the Lobby, before the performance, a group of young drummers from Grant High School, Sacramento and dancers from the Chinese American International School with {…}
Works & Process at the Guggenheim will present San Francisco Opera’s “The Monkey King” by Huang Ruo and David Henry Hwang with Diane Paulus. The event will be held on March 9, 2025, at the Peter B. Lewis Theater. The evening will go behind the scenes with composer Huang Ruo, librettist David Henry Hwang, and director Diane Paulus as they {…}
(Photo credit: Boston Lyric Opera) Works & Process announces its 40th anniversary season taking place in spring 2025. For the purposes of this article only opera events are included. Fortieth Works & Process at the Guggenheim Series – Performance Highlights and Discussions Excerpts from Sarah Ruhl and Anthony Roth Costanzo’s reimagining of Vivaldi “The Seasons” are performed prior to its {…}
The American Composers Orchestra (ACO) released its 2023-24 season lineup and exciting collaborations. This article features vocal related works only. Mezzo-soprano Chrystal E. Williams performs in the featured world premiere of a new work for mezzo-soprano, accordion, and orchestra by John Glover and librettist Kelley Rourke. Performance Date: October 25, 2023 Baritone Sidney Outlaw serves as soloist in the world {…}
The American Lyric Theater has announced a free Opera Writers Symposium scheduled between Feb. 27- April 24, 2021. The course aims to offer artists an opportunity to check out the American Lyric Theater’s Composer Librettist Development Program. The Symposium is open to all artists in all genres of music and literature. Artists with no previous experience in opera are encouraged {…}
In all the weeks we have done this feature, I would argue that few have been as exciting as the one previewed here. Not only will audiences get to watch live opera, some live recitals, and unique past performances, but they also get to engage with some very new opera experiences. We trust that you will be equally excited about {…}
There is only one point in which the character of Private Danny Chen leaves the stage in composer Huang Ruo and librettist David Henry Hwang’s “An American Soldier,” seen in its world premiere this past weekend at Opera Theatre of St. Louis. It is near the end when the soldier dies and his final words when alive are as such: {…}