Matthew Poelnzani has canceled the opening night performance of Tchaikovsky’s “Iolanta.” The tenor announced via social media that he was ill and therefore would have to cancel. “I am sorry to let you know that I have to cancel tonight’s performance of Iolanta at the Met due to illness,” he said. “I wish all of my colleagues a beautiful opening and {…}
On Thursday, Jan. 24, 2019, the Metropolitan Opera will revive its double bill of “Iolanta” and “Bluebeard’s Castle.” The former work will receive its eighth performance at the Met on Thursday in just its first revival with the company. However, the history of “Bluebeard’s Castle” and its 31 performances with the company is intriguing. The work itself is rather brief {…}
Tchaikovsky’s “Iolanta” and Bartók’s “Bluebeard’s Castle” will return to the Metropolitan Opera as a double after a successful run a few seasons ago. On first look, it seems like a strange combination with the composers’ styles rather different overall. It takes a truly strong maestro to move from Tchaikovsky’s lush lyrical qualities to Bartók’s challenging harmonic structures. Hungarian maestro Henrik {…}
Tchaikovsky’s final opera, “Iolanta,” sung in Russian with English supertitles, received a heartfelt and naturalistic production by the Chicago Opera Theater on November 11, 2018, at the Studebaker Theater in the Fine Arts Building, Chicago. With a libretto by the composer’s brother, Modest, “Iolanta” is a 85-minute opera with four scenes presented seamlessly in one act. It explores themes of {…}
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, born on May 7, 1840, is one of the most famous composers of all time. He’s best known for his symphonic work to be sure, but he was also a noted opera composer. He often adapted libretti himself and in all, composed 11 operas. His first opera, “The Voyevoda” was composed between 1867 and 1868. His final {…}
First premiering on December 18, 1892, “Iolanta” is the final opera composed by Pyotr Illyich Tchaikovsky. The libretto was penned by his brother, Modest Tchaikovsky, and adapts a German play by Henrik Hertz known as “King Rene’s Daughter.” First reading the play in an issue of The Russian Messenger, Tchaikovsky found himself enamored with the originality of the plot and {…}
The Scottish Opera has announced its 2017-18 season, which will feature Verdi’s “La Traviata” opens the season in a production by Sir David McVicar on Oct. 19, 2017, at the Theatre Royal Glasgow. There will be subsequent performances at His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen, Eden Court, Inverness, and the Festival Theatre Edinburgh. Sopranos Gulnara Shafigullina and Anush Hovhannisyan alternate the title {…}
There are still some companies waiting to announce their 2017-18 season, but one organization is taking a different approach, unveiling its 2019 calendar. It will be interesting to find out what, if any, impact Opera Holland Park’s decision to announce the 2019 season will have, but it is still quite fascinating to see what the company has in store. The {…}
