The Canadian Opera Company has announced that the late soprano Erin Wall will be honored at this year’s Opera Canada Ruby Awards. The company noted that “Erin was a passionate supporter of young artist development. Following her passing in 2020, the Erin Wall Tribute Fund was established to keep her legacy alive through continued support for emerging opera artists.” The Opera {…}
(Credit: © Jag Gundu) The Toronto Symphony Orchestra has won the JUNO Award for Best Classical Album: Vocal or Choral for its recording of Massenet’s “Thaïs.” The recording stars Joshua Hopkins, Andrew Staples, Nathan Berg, Liv Redpath, Andrea Ludwig, Emilia Boteva, and Neil Aronoff. Sir Andrew Davis led the Toronto Symphony Orchestra with Jonathan Crow leading the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir. {…}
Former vice-president at Columbia Artists, Michael Benchetrit, has struck out on his own, founding Minerva Artists with 15 high-profile artists entrusting their careers to the seasoned agent. Benchetrit was at Columbia for 25 years before the agency shuttered in August. Minerva’s current roster includes sopranos Michelle Bradley, Nicole Cabell, Anna-Sophie Neher, Marjorie Owens, Brenda Rae, and in memoriam, Erin Wall; {…}
(Credit: Kristin Hoebermann) Erin Wall, one of the world’s leading sopranos, has died at the age of 44, after a long illness. Bewitching audiences with her beautiful voice, theatrical prowess and huge repertoire, Wall swiftly conquered major world operatic stages, including The Metropolitan Opera House, Teatro alla Scala, Wiener Staatsoper, Opéra National de Paris, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Canadian Opera {…}
This week, audiences can stream a variety of new releases ranging from contemporary music to baroque to bel canto. The week also marks one of the most anticipated releases of the year from one of opera’s biggest stars. Here is a look at this week’s new releases. Il Tamerlano Naïve Classiques releases Vivaldi’s “Il Tamerlano (Il Bajazet)” marking the 65th release {…}
Columbia Artists Management Inc. has announced it will shut down due to the prolonged pandemic. In a statement that was emailed Saturday to CAMI artists the agency said it would be closing its doors on Monday, August 31. “Columbia Artists has engaged with a fiduciary to enter into an assignment for the benefit of creditors, a form of insolvency proceeding {…}
Massenet’s opera “Thaïs,” set in 4th century Alexandria, focuses on two individuals with diametrically opposed outlooks and lifestyles. There is the hedonistic courtesan Thaïs, who seeks only love—although for no longer than a week at a time—and there is a cenobite monk named Athanaël, an ascetic, whose aim is to turn the courtesan to the path of righteousness. While he {…}
This week three new recordings are set to debut. Two are complete operas while one features rarely performed masses. Bruckner & Stravinsky Masses The Rundfunkchor Berlin, led by its chief conductor Gijs Leenaars and accompanied by wind players from the Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin, presents masses by Bruckner and Stravinsky. Bruckner’s Mass in E Minor and Stravinsky’s Mass share in their unusual {…}
The Orchestre de Paris has announced its 2020-21 season. For this article we will focus only on vocal performances. Elisabeth Kulman and Mari Eriksmoen perform Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 Resurrection with Klaus Makela conducting. Performance Date: Nov. 18 & 19, 2020 Daniel Harding conducts Mahler’s Symphony No. 8 starring Erin Wall, Christopher Maltman, Shenyang, Andrew Staples, Marina Prudenskaya, Jamie Barton, {…}
(Credit: Kristin Hoebermann) The Grand Teton Music Festival has announced highlights from its summer 2020 program, which will open on July 3, and is set to run until August 22. For the purpose of this article, we will focus only on vocal works. Singer and actress Bernadette Peters will officially open the festival with a solo concert. Performance Date: July {…}
The Norwegian National Opera announced its plans for the 2019-20 season. Here is the lineup: The season open with Donizetti’s “L’Elisir d’Amore” in a production by British director Oliver Mears. Operalia Competition winner Luis Gomes sings Nemorino opposite Andrea Carroll’s Adina. Baritone Andrei Kymach and Bass-baritone Günes Gürle will sing Belcore and Dulcamara, respectively. The conductor will be Daniel Smith. {…}