The Royal Opera House has revealed the dates that audiences in the U.S. can catch some of their recent filmed performances. The company’s recent “The Queen of Spades” is set to hit major markets on March 12, 2019, while “La Traviata” will start appearing on March 19, 2019. “La Traviata” was a major success, featuring soprano Ermonela Jaho in a {…}
Teatro Real decided to open the 2018-19 season with Gounod’s “Faust,” an opera which have been staged only once in 2003 since the theatre reopened in 1997. The expectations were high, with a strong cast lead by the international star tenor Piotr Beczala and accompanied by Marina Rebeka and Luca Pisaroni; the young conductor Ed Ettinger was in charge of {…}
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, born on August 28, 1749, is one of the great German writers in history. Unsurprisingly, his literary prowess has inspired a wide range of operatic works, many of which are staples of the canon. Here is a survey of operas based on the works of Goethe. Faust Goethe’s masterwork is undeniably the source of many operas. {…}
Much is said these days about Plácido Domingo’s expansive repertoire, but before him, Nicolai Gedda was arguably the man to tackle the most works in recent opera history. So vast was his repertoire that the Swedish tenor, born on July 11, 1925, performed operas in Italian, French, English, Czech, Swedish, Russian, German, and even Latin. He left behind over 200 {…}
Opera is home to some of humanity’s most infamous villains: manipulative characters who lie, cheat, and steal, pillage and murder, and generally ruin the loves of the innocent, unsuspecting heroes and heroines that we all know and love. But conflict and tension form the bones of most great art, and opera would not be opera without the Iagos, Scarpias, and {…}
Charles Gounod is one of the great composers of French opera. Born on June 17, 1818, in Paris, he learned the piano with his mother, a pianist, from a young age. He then entered the Paris Conservatoire and won a prize for his cantata “Fernand” in 1839. Despite attempts of becoming a priest, he resumed composition, his first opera “Sapho” premiering {…}
The Portland Opera has announced that it will be showcasing the West Coast premiere of John Frame and Kevin Newbury’s “Faust” production. The showcase appeared at the Lyric Opera of Chicago earlier this season, with OperaWire’s Santosh Venkataraman noting “Frame’s unique concepts combine with glorious singing.” “This is one of the most unique and exciting projects I’ve ever worked on,” {…}
Opera Omaha has announced its 2018- 19 season, offering audiences in the Nebraska region the chance to see classic works given fresh productions, as well as giving performance opportunities to the emerging artists. Pagliacci Timothy Myers will conduct the two performances of Leoncavallo’s timeless tragedy, starring Jonathan Burton as Canio, and Leah Partridge making her role debut as Nedda. Performance {…}
The Royal Opera House has announced its 2018-19 season, which will continue its Live in Cinemas series. This season, there will be 11 productions, including six ballets and five operas. We will cover the operatic performances only. The first of these is Wagner’s “Die Walküre,” which will hit the big screen on Oct. 28, 2018. Let by conductor Antonio Pappano, {…}
Premiering at the Theatre Lyrique of Paris on March 19, 1859, “Faust” is adapted from the poem by Goethe, which follows Dr. Faust and his ordeals after entering into a contract with a minion of the devil, Mephistopheles. Despite a lukewarm opening, the opera made a number of revisions before a revival 10 years later, and would be frequently performed {…}
There was much anticipation Saturday night for the opening of “Faust” at Lyric Opera of Chicago in a new co-production with the Portland Opera. It’s certain that Gounod’s tale of the title character making a deal with the devil has never been told this way. There’s probably a clear dividing line on this production. If you prefer a grand opera {…}