Plácido Domingo, Luciano Pavarotti, Anna Netrebko, Renée Fleming, Shirley Verrett Headline Weeks 11 & 12 of Metropolitan Opera Nightly Streams

For the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown theaters around the world, the Metropolitan Opera has announced not one but two weeks of nightly streams in advance. The next few weeks feature a mix of more recent performances with some classic showcases from decades ago. Here’s the rundown. Monday, May 25 – Berlioz’s La Damnation de Faust Conducted by James {…}

Apr 14, 2020

Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Sonya Yoncheva, Renée Fleming Headline Week 6 of Metropolitan Opera Nightly Streams

(Credit: Ken Howard) The Metropolitan Opera has unveiled week 6 of its streaming service which features an all-star gala and six operas with such stars as Sonya Yoncheva, Anna Netrebko, Nina Stemme, Renée Fleming, Natalie Dessay, Joyce DiDonato, and Juan Diego Flórez, among others. Here is a breakdown. Monday, April 20 – Strauss’s Elektra Starring Nina Stemme, Adrianne Pieczonka, Waltraud Meier, {…}

Oct 22, 2019

CD Review: 150 Years Wiener Staatsoper The Anniversary Edition

Over the summer, the Wiener Staatsoper celebrated its 150th anniversary. The company presented an all-star gala which was showcased throughout the theater and also released two special edition collections. One was a DVD set of previously released content and the other was a CD set with mostly world premiere recordings. The CD set of nine operas and a compilation album {…}

Jun 18, 2019

Renée Fleming & Vittorio Prato Showcase New CD/DVD Releases – June 17

This week, two solo albums are released and a big compilation album featuring rare recordings is set for release. Il Bravo Vittorio Prato and Illiria collaborate together for the baritone’s first solo album. The new album is dedicated to the art of the great baritone Antonio Tamburini and includes selections of rare Bel Canto arias from the operas of the beginning {…}

Mar 4, 2019

20 Singers Announced To Compete In BBC Cardiff Singer Of The World 2019 Competition

The BBC Cardiff Singer of the World 2019 has announced that 20 outstanding classical singers from across the globe have been selected to compete in the prestigious competition. The competitors, who were chosen from a pool of 400 applicants and hail from 15 different countries, include: tenor Roman Arndt and mezzo-sopranos Karina Kherunts and Yulia Mebbibaeva from Russia; baritone Leonardo Lee {…}

Dec 6, 2018

Russian Airport To Be Named in Dmitri Hvorostovsky’s Honor

The late baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky will be among several artists who will have an airport named after them in Russia. Per reports, the baritone’s name will be linked with a local Siberian airport in Krasnoyarsk. The baritone, beloved by many, passed away on Nov. 22, 2017, after a two-and-a-half-year battle with brain cancer. He was highly lauded throughout his career, {…}

Nov 18, 2018

Interview: Tenor Stephen Costello’s Debut Double-Header

What’s a nice guy like the 2009 Richard Tucker Award-winner Stephen Costello to do when playing a character known for anger issues and a jealous streak a mile wide? Go for sympathy, make the audience empathize with “a lost person with a good heart.” That’s what Costello did for his role debut as Don José in the Dallas Opera production {…}

Oct 16, 2018

Artist Profile: Baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky, A Beloved & Greatly Remembered Artist

In late 2017, the opera world suffered a great tragedy, when it lost baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky at the age 55. Hvorostovsky, born on Oct. 16, 1962, was born in Krasnoyarsk and grew up without much interaction with his parents, whose work consumed most of their time. He studied at the Krasnoyarsk School of Arts and would make his professional debut {…}

Sep 11, 2018

CD / DVD Releases – Week of Sept. 9

As the holiday season approaches, a number of new releases will be available this week. Last week we saw the releases of new albums by Renée Fleming, Joyce DiDonato, and the world premiere recording of Anton Rubenstein’s “Moses” and this week’s offerings include an homage to Dmitri Hvorostovsky, a new release for Jonas Kaufmann, a new collaboration between two major {…}

Aug 27, 2018

Dmitri Hvorostovsky Receives Second Burial in Home City

A capsule with part of late baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky’s ashes was buried in the foundations of what will be a future monument for the iconic singer in Krasnoyarsk. The ceremony, performed on Friday, August 24, 2018, was part of the baritone’s own will. He asked that his ashes be divided into two parts, with the first part to be buried {…}

Jul 30, 2018

Dmitri Hvorostovsky Gala To Feature Ildar Abdrazakov & Stephen Costello

On August 26, 2018, Dmitri Hvorostovsky’s family and friends, together with the Krasnoyarsk Government and Rusfond (Russian Fond for Help to Sick Children), will organize a charity concert “Hvorostovsky and Friends.” The concert, which is set to be in the memory of Hvorostovsky, will be held in Peace Square near the Great Concert Hall of the Krasnoyarsk Philharmonic where the {…}