After leaving the premiere of La Fenice’s production of “Mefistofele,” I dried two little tears from my eyes and, in a burst of emotion, was possessed by one thought: how underrated Boito is. Usually relegated merely to the place of the fanciest of Verdi’s librettists, Boito was much more. His works extend from a few musical pieces to many (untranslated {…}
One brand new opera with three endings. A 20th-century work from a noted Czech composer. Two gala performances. A recital of new songs. A Shakespeare / Verdi / Ring Mashup. Beethoven. And three Italian operas with some of opera’s biggest stars for those looking for more standard repertory. That eclectic list comprises our top 10 operas to stream this week. {…}
(Photo: Marek Olbrzymek) Janacek was not a man to hide his obsession for a woman under a bushel, a fact that became a constant torment to his wife, and they were obsessions, not casual or even consummated affairs. The most famous, of course, was his infatuation with Kamila Stösslová who became the muse for a number of his works, not {…}