The Canadian Opera Company has announced its 2018-19 season, which will feature six operas. Every opera is undeniably the sum of all its parts, but there is certainly a lot to be said about how one performer can become the big story for his or her upcoming showcase. Here is a look at the six exciting singers to keep an {…}
“Opera Meets Film” is a feature dedicated to exploring the way that opera has been employed in cinema. We will select a section or a film in its entirety, highlighting the impact that utilizing the operatic form or sections from an opera can alter our perception of a film that we are viewing. This week’s installment features Anthony Minghella’s “The {…}
Polish baritone Mariusz Kwiecien has delivered some of the finest performances of the past decade, cementing himself as one of the greatest singing actors of his generation. Born on Nov. 4, the baritone has explored a wide-range of repertoire, always showcasing nuance in both his singing and his acting. He started his career back in native Poland before becoming a {…}
“Eugene Onegin” by Tchaikovsky is based on the novel by the same name by the great Russian poet Alexander Pushkin, whose writings centered around the title character. But what of the equally important perspective of Tatiana, the woman in love with Onegin before he shatters her dreams? In the production of “Onegin” performed by Oper Frankfurt seen Friday night, the {…}
The last few years have been difficult for baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky and his beloved opera fans, including yours truly. A brilliant actor with a rich and layered voice, Hvorostovsky is a consummate artist if there ever was one. Even on days when his voice is not at its peak (as was the case at the recent Metropolitan Opera gala), he {…}
Raquel Gonzalez will replace Joyce El-Khoury at the Lyric Opera of Kansas City. The Lyric Opera of Kansas City announced that Gonzalez will make her house debut in the role of Tatiana filling in for El-Khoury who was originally scheduled. The switch was due to the fact that El-Khoury will replace Nadine Sierra in some of the performances at the {…}
Anna Netrebko graces the small screen on August 13, 2017, as PBS showcases Tchaikovsky’s “Eugene Onegin” on Great Performances. The soprano received rave reviews when the production was revived in the spring. OperaWire noted, “Netrebko’s interpretation of Tchaikovsky’s operatic masterwork was an in-your-face reminder that she is singular among modern opera’s elite superstars.” The diva is joined by Peter Mattei in {…}
Did you miss the Met’s Live in HD broadcasts courtesy of Fathom Events these past few summers? Still want to check out some HD broadcasts from the Metropolitan Opera? Well, you have a chance to do just that, at the Met. More like, right outside the Met, as the company will offer 10 free screenings in Lincoln Center Plaza from {…}
Tchaikovsky’s most famous opera “Eugene Onegin” was on the program of the Festival international d’art Lyrique d’Aix-en-Provence’s 69th season in a concert performance. It was masterfully presented by Moscow’s Bolshoi’s choir and orchestra, under the baton of Tugan Sokhiev. The Theatre’s leading soloists included Igor Golovatenko in the title role, Anna Nechaeva as Tatiana, Bogdan Volkov as Lensky, soloist Svetlana {…}
The Scottish Opera has announced its 2017-18 season, which will feature Verdi’s “La Traviata” opens the season in a production by Sir David McVicar on Oct. 19, 2017, at the Theatre Royal Glasgow. There will be subsequent performances at His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen, Eden Court, Inverness, and the Festival Theatre Edinburgh. Sopranos Gulnara Shafigullina and Anush Hovhannisyan alternate the title {…}
Alexander Pushkin is one of the greatest authors in the history of the world. He is also one of the writers who has had the greatest impact in the world of opera. Perhaps only such authors as Victor Hugo or William Shakespeare have seen as many of their works adapted to the opera stage as has Pushkin. And while those other {…}