There is perhaps no other Baroque composer with as wide a repertory as George Frideric Handel. Though a handful of his operas are still widely performed in Europe, his operas don’t typically get much attention from the major houses in the United States. Even the few shows that are still regularly staged are recycled in succession, such as “Giulio Cesare,” {…}
Andrea Mastroni is not just a bass. The Italian artist actually spent a great portion of his studies as an aesthetic philosopher, working to deepen his understanding of musical texts. In an interview last year with OperaWire, he noted that this was essential to his ability to be a performer and interpreter. “Learning philosophy makes you think constantly about everything you {…}
Bass Andrea Mastroni has announced his new album, “Melancholia,” which will be released early in 2018. The album will be dedicated to the work of Georg Frederich Handel and will also feature the Orchestra Accademia dell’Annunciata under the musical direction of Riccardo Doni. Audiences will hear arias from such operas as “Ezio,” “Ariodante” “Riccardo I Re d’Inghilterra,” “Riccardo,” “Galatea e Polifemo,” {…}
Most countertenors make their careers out of singing traditional baroque repertoire. The voice type, so popular during the art form’s formative years, was extremely popular in its day with the major composers assigning leading roles to the countertenor. But that is no longer the case today, the countertenor is seen more as a novelty than a bonafide fixture in the {…}
A week after superstar tenor Jonas Kaufmann released his latest album, the other major stars of the opera world will unveil their latest recordings. It’s a big week with too many incredible choices. Here we go. Mozart Juan Diego Flórez’s first album fully dedicated to Mozart is conducted by Riccardo Minasi and features music from “Idomeneo,” “Die Zauberflöte,” “Don Giovanni,” {…}
You can tell who the real Handel lovers are by those who remain for the entirety of a three hour and 40-minute performance. However, at Santa Fe Opera’s production of “Alcina” on August 2, the house remained mostly full all the way to the curtain call. When it comes to Baroque performed in the 21st century, it helps to rely on {…}
Sonya Yoncheva fans from around the world will get a chance to hear the star soprano live in concert via Medici.tv. The soprano’s concert at the Philharmonie de Paris will be broadcast via the online website starting at 2:30 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, April 18. Accompanying the soprano in a program that includes Handel, Rameau and Purcell will be the {…}
On March 31, the Teatro Real and Medici.tv will present Handel’s “Rodelinda” on the live stream platform. The performance will feature the new production by Claus Guth, which the director noted was inspired by a house in London in which Mike Jagger lived in. Guth also noted that he didn’t want to use a specific time period because the story of the opera {…}
New Yorkers will have a chance to meet Bulgarian soprano Sonya Yoncheva at the Metropolitan Opera Shop next Wednesday, March 15 at 3 P.M. EST. The soprano’s new album “Handel” recently hit stores and includes music from the composer’s opera’s, “Giulio Cesare in Egitto,” “Alcina,” “Rodelinda,” “Agrippina,” “Theodora” and “Rinaldo.” This is Yoncheva’s third album with Sony Classical. In 2015 {…}
Johannes Martin Kränzle may not have the world-renown name of many major singers, but he certainly has the experience and recordings to illustrate his strength as an artist. The baritone has a varied selection from which listeners can choose from, ranging from high profile video recordings to more intimate listening experiences. Here are some of his vital albums. 1. Alberich {…}
Counter Tenor David Daniels will be cancelling his performances of his December run of “Rodelinda” at the Bolshoi Theatre due to illness. The announcement was made on the singer’s website Sunday. “He hopes to find the earliest opportunity to participate in another production at the Bolshoi Theatre. David sends his sincere thanks for the understanding of his colleagues and cast-mates, {…}