Vienna State Opera 2017-18 Review – Ariodante: Sir David McVicar’s sumptuous staging for the Wiener Staatsoper Is a Case of Handel With Care

An alien orchestra playing in the illustrious Wiener Staatsoper is about as rare as a running of the bulls on the Ringstrasse. Apart from a one-night swap with the La Scala orchestra in 2011, in recent years only Les Musiciens du Louvre, Les Talens Lyriques, and the Freiburger Barockorchester have been granted such a privilege. The latest member of this {…}

Mar 1, 2018

Theater an der Wien 2017-18 Review – Saul: Claus Guth’s Interpretation Is More Pasolini Than Prophet

When a lyricist describes his composer’s head as “full of maggots”, the chances of a harmonious collaborative outcome would seem slim. For Charles Jennens, the aesthete aristocratic librettist of Handel’s oratorio “Saul,” such a jeremiad was not a solitary instance. The principal object of Jennens’ ire was Handel’s highly original orchestration, especially the invention of a tinkling bell-like keyboard called a “Carillon” {…}

Mar 1, 2018

Vienna State Opera 2017-18 Live Stream: Handel’s ‘Ariodante’ Hits the Web

Handel aficionados will get their dose of their beloved composer on Sunday, March 4, 2018 when the Vienna State Opera live streams “Ariodante” worldwide. The performance is led by baroque specialist William Christie in a production by David McVicar. The cast features Sarah Connolly in the tile role, Chen Reiss as Ginevra, Hila Fahima as Dalinda, Christophe Dumaux as Polinesso, {…}

Feb 23, 2018

5 Handel Operas That Deserve the Spotlight

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,” {…}

Feb 11, 2018

Q & A: Bass Andrea Mastroni On Handel, His Modernity & Complexity of Interpretation

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 {…}

Nov 6, 2017

Bass Andrea Mastroni to Release New Album ‘Melancholia’

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,” {…}

Nov 1, 2017

Q & A: Countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo on Pergolesi’s ‘Stabat Mater,’ Handel & Philip Glass

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 {…}

Oct 2, 2017

CD / DVD Releases (Week of Oct. 2): Juan Diego Flórez, Marina Rebeka, Diana Damrau Among Slew of Major Releases

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,” {…}

Aug 7, 2017

Santa Fe Opera 2017 Review – Alcina: Lead Singers & Director David Alden Lead Satisfying Performance

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 {…}

Apr 18, 2017

How to Watch Sonya Yoncheva Live From Paris on Tuesday

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 {…}

Mar 30, 2017

Teatro Real And Medici.tv Team Up For ‘Rodelinda’ Live Stream

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 {…}

handel