Vincenzo Bellini is one of the most famous composers of the bel canto era. Born on Nov. 3, 1801, the composer would become well-known for his expansive melodies that would become the inspiration for many Italian composers thereafter. His first opera was “Adelson e Salvini,” which had its premiere in February of 1825 at the Teatro del Conservatorio di San {…}
“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 Young Victoria.” {…}
On Saturday, April 21, 2018, superstar soprano Anna Netrebko will make her role debut as “Tosca” at the Metropolitan Opera. The role of the famed diva will be the 20th role of Netrebko’s Met career, but shockingly, it will only be the third time she makes a role debut with the company. Throughout her career, Netrebko has had the tendency {…}
It’s officially the month of March Madness and to celebrate the month which will see “Elektra” and “Lucia di Lammermoor” open at the Metropolitan Opera, OperaWire will be writing a weekly article on our favorite mad scenes, favorite interpretations of mad scenes and some of the most iconic performances of mad scenes. Lucia di Lammermoor-“Il Dolce Suono” Donizetti’s mad scene {…}
Fans of bel canto opera were treated nearly a year ago to the first mounting of “Norma” at Lyric Opera of Chicago in 20 years with a dream cast that included Sondra Radvanovsky in the title role. Those fans have waited since the 1991-92 season to see Bellini’s final work, the masterful “I Puritani,” which I saw Saturday night in {…}
“I Puritani” is Bellini’s final opera, and for some, his best. The opera had its premiere on Jan. 24, 1835, seven months before the composer’s untimely death at the age of 33. The work is often criticized for its dramatic structure, though few complain about its musical genius, showcasing Bellini at his most refined and evolved melodically. Short Plot Summary {…}
The Vienna State Opera’s live streaming series continues on Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2018 with a performance of Bellini’s final opera “I Puritani.” The opera will feature a production by director John Dew under the musical leadership of Evelino Pidò. The cast will showcase Jongmin Park, Dmitry Korchak, Adam Plachetka, and Venera Gimadieva, who was OperaWire’s Artist of the Week between {…}
Maria Callas is arguably THE greatest opera star in history. Born on Dec. 2, 1923, the Greek singer (who was born in New York City) would become a turning point in the history of the art form, with some going so far as to claim there was a period “Before Callas” and one “After Callas.” Leonard Bernstein called her “The {…}
“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 Werner Herzog’s “Fitzcarraldo.” {…}
Celso Albelo possesses a glorious instrument that allows him to sing a wide range of bel canto operas with great ease. But in speaking with the tenor, it became very clear that he doesn’t take a single thing for granted. He might be able to whip up a few phrases without thinking about it or throw off the highest of {…}
After looking at the top female and male singers as well as the finest maestros of the 2016-17 season, we now turn the spotlight on the 10 best-assembled casts of the season. This was a truly difficult piece to put together as this Met season had great casts for almost every single opera. But the casts listed below were simply {…}