On June 17th, the Music Critics Association of North America (MCANA) announced “Blue” as the winner of its Fourth Annual Award for Best New Opera. “Blue,” composed by Jeanine Tesori with libretto by Tazewell Thompson, premiered at the Glimmerglass Festival in July 2019 and tells the story of an African American couple residing in Harlem, New York City. The couple’s {…}
The recording of “Pepito,” a comedic opera in one act with music by Nicolas Lell Benavides and libretto by Marella Martin Koch, is set to release on May 1, 2020 and it is an amusing, quick-hit of delightful opera worth a listen. This compact, 20-minute chamber opera tells the story of Pepito, a shelter dog meeting a husband and wife who {…}
As the summer winds down, the festival season is also drawing to a close. But that also means that the 2019-20 season will slowly start to get underway. So this weekend’s top recommendations showcase this transitional period at its finest. Glimmerglass Festival – The Queen of Spades Tchaikovsky’s masterpiece will be showcased in a production by Francesca Zambello with Michelle {…}
(Credit: Louise Leblanc) There are a lot of modern works in this weekend’s lineup, but they are mixed in with two repertory staples that feature exciting new productions and unique up-and-coming talent. Here are our Top five operas to see this weekend in North America. Festival Opéra de Québec – The Flying Dutchman The Wagner opera opened last week as {…}
(Credit: Carli Kadel) I have learned that — outside the cultural mecca of Manhattan, in summer — amazing operatic performances can be found in what might be regarded as unlikely places. And my recent weekend in upstate New York confirmed that once again. I first experienced this with the new production at Glimmerglass of Verdi’s mid-career masterpiece, “La Traviata.” Revisiting {…}
There are four operas that rarely get performances in North America, making them all the more essential viewing for the weekend. Here are our top five operas to see this weekend (in alphabetical order by company). Billy Budd – Central City Opera Britten’s masterwork kicks off on Saturday with a production conducted by John Baril and directed by Ken Cazan. {…}
Festival season is in full swing and this weekend’s major offerings come from some of the most exciting summer festivals in North America. Here are our top five offerings (in alphabetical order by company). Madama Butterfly – Central City Opera The famed Puccini masterpiece opens on Saturday with Raquel González, Annie Rosen, Cody Austin, Troy Cook, and Joseph Gaines. Adam {…}
The Glimmerglass Festival has announced its 2020 festival featuring four mainstage works and two brand new ones. The Festival will also welcome Isabel Leonard and William Burden as Artists in Residence for the 2020 season. The 2020 Festival opens with Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “The Sound of Music” in a new production directed by Francesca Zambello with associate director and choreographer Eric {…}
It’s an interesting question: should opera companies stage musicals? On one hand — especially for US opera companies and festivals — you can argue that it is a uniquely American art from, this descendant of operetta that entertains audiences all the way from Broadway and the West End, to Sydney and Shanghai. And, you might also argue that it is music, {…}
The World Cup Final will take place on Sunday, which is likely to captivate a major part of the world’s attention. But for those who would prefer a night at the opera, there are plenty of offerings. You might recognize a few company names if you’ve been following steadily these past few weeks. The offerings remain excellent as ever. Without {…}
It’s a busy weekend filled with a plethora of amazing choices for opera audiences around North America. The selections feature a wide-range of repertoire, from newer operas to classic repertory gems. Here are our top five for the weekend, in alphabetical order by company. The Magic Flute – Central City Opera The CCO opens its summer season with Mozart’s famed {…}