(Photos: Marty Sohl / Met Opera) The Metropolitan Opera’s “La Bohème” celebrated a new season of success thanks to Kensho Watanabe at the podium and a stunning cast of favorites, including Ailyn Pérez, Dmytro Popov, Boris Pinkhasovich, Bogdan Talos, Emily Pogorelc, Gihoon Kim, and Donald Maxwell. Conductor Kensho Watanabe’s Midas Touch Conductor Kensho Watanabe, who made his Met debut with {…}
(Credit: Vincent Pontet) Making “La Bohème” in Paris is a strenuous task. After Claus Guth’s unpopular sideral production, it became evident that the City of Light’s operagoers are not eager to see overly conceptual approaches to Puccini’s opera. However, no ambitious stage director will merely imitate one of the many Zeffirelli productions. This is why Theatre des Champs-Elysées brought out {…}
(Credit:Marecllogiordani.com/Carol Friedman While there was a lot to celebrate in 2019, there was also a lot to mourn. The final year of the decade brought about the end of the lives of many notable figures of the opera world. Here is a look at some of the many figures we lost this year. Jessye Norman The renowned soprano passed at {…}
Franco Zeffirelli has died at the age of 96 on June 15, 2019 after suffering from a long illness in his home in Rome. The great Italian director was born Gian Franco Corsi Zeffirelli in the outskirts of Florence, Italy to Alaide Garosi and Ottorino Corsi. Zeffirelli graduated from the Accademia di Belle Arti Firenze in 1941 and went to the {…}
Italian Franco Zeffirelli is one of the great opera directors of the 20th century. Born on Feb. 12, 1923, in Florence Italy, he lost his mother at age six. He graduated the Accademia di Belle Arti Firenze in 1941 and fought during World War II. Once the war ended he resumed his studies. He initially set out to study art {…}
Puccini’s “La Bohème” was revived on Thursday, Nov. 29 with a cast of predominantly American stars in Franco Zeffirelli’s iconic production. There isn’t much to remark about the production that hasn’t already said, though it must be noted that the singers, in conjunction with revival stage director J. Knighten Smit did seem to attempt some new staging at different junctures {…}
Rosa Feola is set to star in Franco Zeffirelli’s upcoming production of “Rigoletto.” According to the Giornale della Musica, the Italian soprano will be Gilda in the production, which is slated to open at the Royal Opera Muscat in 2020. The news comes a day after it was announced that at the age of 97, the legendary director would direct his first {…}
Franco Zeffirelli is set to direct a production of Verdi’s “Rigoletto” at the Royal Opera Muscat. The new production, scheduled for 2020, will be in celebration of the 50th anniversary of Oman and the 10th anniversary of the opera house. The production will mark Zeffirelli’s return to a Verdi opera that he has not directed since 1961 at Trieste and in {…}
Following a mixed premiere of “Samson et Delila,” the second evening of the Metropolitan Opera’s 2018-19 season saw a far more conventional and beloved work being performed, Puccini’s “La Bohème.” This opera is, unsurprisingly, the most performed of the company’s history, and that experience made itself clear throughout the night. Strong Debutante Making her debut with the company was Nicole {…}
Franco Zeffirelli has been accused of sexual misconduct. The legendary opera and film director has been accused by actor Johnathon Schaech. The actor told People magazine that when he was 22-years-old and worked on the film “Sparrow” in 1992, Zeffirelli had tried to seduce him from the start. And while he was filming the movie in Sicily, the actor said {…}
On New Years Eve the Metropolitan Opera will premiere a new production of Puccini’s “Tosca.” The production, which will be directed by David McVicar comes on the heels of a controversial one by Luc Bondy (his interpretation of the Puccini work was infamously booed on its opening night). While the Met has showcased Tosca a whopping 950 times since its {…}