In May 1962, three singers were supposed to stand together inside the newly consecrated Coventry Cathedral. Benjamin Britten had chosen the English tenor Peter Pears, German baritone Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau and Russian soprano Galina Vishnevskaya for the premiere of his “War Requiem.” The casting carried powerful post-war symbolism: three nationalities united in a cathedral destroyed during the Second World War and {…}
Happy New Year! For the first edition of the year, we look at the first releases of 2024. This week we get a new album by a leading tenor and a remastering of a legendary recording conducted by the composer himself. Out of the Ashes Navona releases the USD Chamber Singers and Dr. David Holdhusen’s new album. The CD will {…}
(Credit: New York World-Telegram / Wolfson, Stanley) OperaWire is proud to present “The Wonderful World of Opera Dogs,” a series by Diana Burgwyn, which will focus on the relationship between opera’s most iconic stars and their beloved canines. The creation of this series and all research necessary for each individual piece were conducted solely by Diana. To learn more about {…}
Galina Vishnevskaya, born on Oct. 25, 1926, is not one of most recognized singers of the 20th century, though she was certainly well-recognized in the USSR. Vishnevskaya was born in Leningrad and got started singing operetta when she was barely 18 years old. She became a member of Bolshoi Theater in 1953, at the age of 27. While the greater {…}