(Photo: Alexandra Polina) Freiburg Theater’s current production of John Adams’ “Doctor Atomic” is a must-see event! Even opera-goers who find contemporary works difficult or off-putting would struggle to deny the brilliance of this presentation. It succeeds on every level: musically, dramatically, visually and intellectually. And in doing so, confirmed the opera’s reputation as an early 21st century masterpiece. The opera {…}
(Photo Credit: Scott Suchman) Throughout this new series, we will be looking at the history of American opera beginning in the 2000s to the present through a revisit of certain iconic works of the decade and OperaWire’s coverage of them throughout the 21st century. In this first part, we will look at the development of American opera during the 2000s, {…}
Opera Southwest is set to present a double bill of Bartok’s “Bluebeard’s Castle” with the “Doctor Atomic Symphony” just in time for Halloween. First on the bill, “Bluebeard’s Castle,” stars Justin Hopkins as Duke Bluebeard and Andrea Hillthe as Judith. Senior set artists from Meow Wolf, Lance Ryan McGoldrick and David Cudney have woven traditional themes, colors, and modern technology {…}
(Photo by Richard Terborg) John Adams‘ “Doctor Atomic” has returned to the Netherlands for the first time in 16 years courtesy of Stichting LustrumOpera. The production, which opened on July 13, 2023, will run through July 25 at the Werkspoorkathedrall in Uthrect and stars Quirijn de Lang as Dr. Oppenheimer and Jeannette van Schaik as Kitty Oppenheimer. Other cast members {…}
When it comes to American opera, few composers have had quite the impact that John Adams has. Throughout his career as an opera composer, Adams has examined how history and myth come together in the collective conscious to impact society. As such, many of his operas have proven controversial, though some quite long-lasting. For this week’s quiz, we take stock {…}
(Credit: The Metropolitan Opera official website) In response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, The Metropolitan Opera’s HD Live in Schools program has launched an online series for the 2020–21 school year. For the upcoming school year, all students and teachers will receive free subscriptions to the Met Opera on Demand streaming service. A total of ten operas have been selected {…}
(Credit: Simon Pauly) The Opus Klassik has announced its top prizes. Joyce DiDonato won Female Singer of the Year while Christian Gerhaher won Male Singer of the Year. Meanwhile, Emóke Baráth and Nadine Sierra both took home the Young Singer Award, while Jakub Jósef Orlinski was awarded Solo Recording (Opera) for his “Anima Sacra.” André Schuen won Solo Recording (Song) {…}