The Career Milestones of Leona Mitchell

Leona Mitchell had a tremendous opera career. For years, the soprano, born on Oct. 13, 1949, was a leading singer at the Metropolitan Opera, dominating in such operas as “La Bohème,” “Carmen,” “Don Carlo,” “Die Zauberflöte,” and “La Forza del Destino,” among others. Her first-ever “Madama Butterfly” at the Met was proclaimed “a wedding of her beautiful, lyric voice to {…}

Sep 30, 2017

Opera Profile: Gershwin’s ‘Porgy and Bess’

George Gershwin’s folk opera “Porgy and Bess” has proven itself a piece of American history, having withstood the controversy it garnered for its portrayal of the African American community in Charlestown, South Carolina. Premiering on September 30th 1935, “Porgy and Bess” was noted for its casting of classically-trained African-American singers rather than having actors in blackface. While many felt the {…}