Q & A: Elisabeth Teige on Finding Balance As A Dramatic Soprano, Her Family Life & Greatest Inspirations

(Credits: Patricia Varela) Young Norwegian soprano Elisabeth Teige has established herself as one of the most sought-after dramatic sopranos of her generation. She has appeared in the number of dramatic roles including Senta in “Der Fliegende Holländer,” Leonore in “Fidelio,” Cio-Cio-San in “Madama Butterfly,” Irene Wagner’s “Rienzi, der Letzte der Tribunen,” Elsa in “Lohengrin,” and the title character of Puccini’s {…}

Aug 18, 2019

Opera Quiz: Even Hardcore Wagnerians Will Struggle With This Quiz on ‘Siegfried’ & ‘Götterdämmerung’

August 16 and 17, 1876 featured the world premieres of “Siegfried” and “Götterdämmerung,” respectively. Those two operas have remained, along with the other two Ring operas, major fixtures of the opera repertory. In fact, the creation of the works, their history, and legacy, is legendary, especially among major Wagnerites. And it is precisely them that we challenge with this quiz {…}

Apr 28, 2019

Metropolitan Opera 2018-19 Review: Götterdämmerung

The Metropolitan Opera’s first Ring Cycle of the 2018-19 season came to a glorious end with “Götterdämmerung” in a production featuring a tremendous cast. In some ways, this might have been the most satisfying evening of the entire cycle, with a luxurious cast of true singing actors against a production that, at times, had something to say. A Hero Above {…}

Feb 26, 2019

Longborough Festival Opera To Launch New ‘Ring Des Nibelungen’ Production In June 2019

The Longborough Festival Opera is set to launch a new Ring Cycle in 2019. The cycle will kick off in June 2019 with a new production of “Das Rheingold.” Per a press release, this first installment will feature showcases on June 5, 7, 9, and 11. In June 2020, Wagner’s “Die Walküre” will get a new staging, followed by “Siegfried” {…}

Jan 14, 2019

Vienna State Opera 2018-19 Preview: Live Stream ‘Siegfried’ & ‘Götterdämmerung’

The final two installments of Wagner’s famed Ring Cycle will be live streamed via the Vienna State Opera’s live streaming service. “Siegfried” will be showcased on Jan. 16, 2019 with Stephen Gould in the title role. Evelyn Herlitzius will perform the role of Brünnhilde with Tomasz Konieczny appearing as the Wanderer. Herwig Pecoraro completes the cast. Axel Kobler conducts the {…}

Dec 20, 2018

Opera Meets Film: Wagner’s Music Emphasizes Stephen Hawkings’ Status As Legend In ‘The Theory of Everything’

“Opera Meets Film” is a feature dedicated to exploring the way that opera has been employed in cinema. We will select a section or a film in its entirety, highlighting the impact that utilizing the operatic form or sections from an opera can alter our perception of a film that we are viewing. This week’s installment features “The Theory of {…}

Nov 18, 2018

Royal Opera House 2018-19 Review: Der Ring Des Nibelungen

We had the unexpected pleasure of attending the last Cycle of the Keith Warner production of “Der Ring des Nibelungen” at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden (September 26 through November 2, 2018). Warner’s production, like most modern productions, had several insightful touches and many silly ones. The performance begins and ends with the Rhine Maidens in a “natural state” {…}

Apr 9, 2018

Vienna State Opera 2017-18 Live Stream: ‘Der Ring des Nibelungen’ Comes to An End

Wagner’s “Ring Cycle” will continue to take over Vienna State Opera’s live stream service this week with two major performances. The cycle’s third installment, “Siegfried” gets the spotlight on Wednesday, April 11, 2018, at 5:30 p.m. local time. The performance is slated to run until around 10 p.m. That’s around 12:30 p.m. EDT and 9:30 a.m. PST for the start {…}

Feb 15, 2018

Everything You Need to Know About the Met Opera’s 2018-19 Revival of Wagner’s Ring Cycle

Anytime the Metropolitan Opera puts on a new production of Wagner’s “Der Ring des Nibelungen,” you better believe that it is a major event. The tetralogy will reappear in 2018-19 for the first time since the 2013 season, and as might be expected, there aren’t very many opportunities to check it out. So here is a rundown of the essential {…}

Oct 31, 2017

The Greatest Disguises in Opera

It’s Halloween! Which means that most people are taking the opportunity to disguise themselves as someone else, live out a temporary existence as a character that they either dreamed of being or enjoy playing. Opera is full of this kind of interplay, with characters disguising themselves or putting on literal costumes to get their way. One thing we often learn {…}

Aug 30, 2017

The Soprano Roles of Famed Mezzo Regina Resnik

Regina Resnik is often cited as one of the great American mezzos of the 20th century. Born on August 30, she managed an international career that spanned a whopping five decades and became a house favorite with such companies as La Scala, the Paris Opera, the Royal Opera, the Vienna State Opera, and of course, the Metropolitan Opera, where she {…}

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