The Metropolitan Opera 50th anniversary Gala promised to be a night filled with glamour and star power that reunited some of opera’s greatest singers on the same stage. It was a night that included some of the most popular pieces in the repertoire as well as some lesser known music that highlighted the Met’s growing and diverse repertoire. On many {…}
It’s the weekend and many of the top stars in opera are getting ready for the Metropolitan Opera’s 50th Anniversary Gala. Let’s find out what they were up to! Pretty Yende shared a selfie in her dressing room with Susan Graham. She shared no clues but she looked very excited to be in her presence. With the extraordinary Susan Graham❣❣❣ {…}
I am going to be rather forward with you. This analysis of Wednesday’s “Don Giovanni” at the Metropolitan Opera will kick off on a positive note before turning a bit sour in tone. But lo and behold, after that, I am going to return to my boyish enthusiasm for what I experienced at the opening of this revival run. The {…}
If there was one event that opera lovers couldn’t miss this week, it was the return of Dmitri Hvorostovsky. The baritone was joined by Anna Netrebko and her Husband Yusif Eyvazov in a sold out concert that included some of the greatest hits in opera and a number of Russian selections. The performance was a big hit and Hvorostovsky showed his {…}
A few weeks ago, Metropolitan Opera Music Director Designate Yannick Nézet-Séguin made the proclamation that he would be bringing newer and fresher composers to the Metropolitan Opera throughout his tenure. A few days later it was reported that among the new composers he would be bringing would be Jake Heggie’s “Dead Man Walking.” It’s a great start, considering Heggie, who {…}
New York’s Winter Storm seemed to be the prevailing theme on most opera singer’s social media feeds. Find out what they were up to this week in coping with the tough weather. Tenor David Portillo took time out his hectic rehearsal period to see Gounod’s “Romeo et Juliette” with his fiance and a friend. He is currently the role of {…}
This review is for the performance on Feb. 20, 2017. Taking in the experience of Massenet’s “Werther” is a rather fascinating one. Not because the music is without a doubt the composer’s finest creation or because the Metropolitan Opera’s production is a dramatic home run (more on that later). It has to do with audience interaction and engagement. Who would {…}
Isabel Leonard turns 35 on Saturday Feb. 18. The singer’s stature has grown over the past few years as the artist, so beloved around the United States, has seen her profile grow ever greater around the world. She is coming off major turns as Adalgisa in “Norma” and Charlotte in “Werther,” which she is currently performing at the Metropolitan Opera. {…}
It was a huge week for a number of major opera singers this week, some receiving huge honors and others getting special Valentine’s Day treats. For Corinne Winters it was probably one of the biggest weeks of her life, the Soprano announcing her engagement to tenor Adam Smith and rocking her ring on Instagram. #heasked #isaidyes💍 happiest woman on Earth {…}
Massenet’s masterful “Werther” makes a return to the Met stage after a few years of absence. The opening performance is Thursday, Feb. 16, with subsequent showcases on Feb. 20, 23, 27 and March 4 and 9. The current production, which was directed by Richard Eyre, debuted back in 2014 with Jonas Kaufmann in his most recent role for the company. {…}
The Washington National Opera has just announced its 2017-18 season. Aida The company will kick off the year with a new production of Verdi’s “Aida.” Directed by Francesca Zambello, the new production will be co-produced with San Francisco Opera, Seattle Opera, and Minnesota Opera. The opening performance takes place on Sept. 9 and the run lasts until Sept. 23, a {…}
