The title role of “Mitridate” is by far the most difficult Mozart role and one of the hardest of the entire tenor repertoire. It requires extreme security in the high register, as it is constantly going up to high Bs and high Cs, and a strong middle and low register, too. Teatro Real‘s production featured tenor Siyabonga Maqungo in the {…}
Teatro Real presented a new production by Claus Guth of the unknown and rarely performed Mozart opera: “Mitridate.” The opera is a work that the talented Mozart composed when he was 14 -years -old and that followed the rigid structure of the XVIII century Italian opera, and therefore conforms with a series of recitatives (secco and accompagnato with piano forte {…}
Each music-lover has their “Requiem” of choice. The Heroic will want to be mourned under Verdi’s; tender souls feel represented by the ethereal melodies of Brahms or Fauré. But, it is safe to say that nine of ten music-lovers prefer Mozart’s unfinished “Requiem.” More than a masterpiece, it is arguably the most gracious sacred work in the classical repertoire. However, {…}
(Credit: Javier del Real) Teatro Real opened its 2023-24 season with Cherubini’s masterpiece “Medea.” The opera had a great success and was very popular in Europe during the XIX century, where it was usually performed in German or Italian and with a newly written recitative instead of the original French dialogues between arias and scenes. “Medea” was rarely performed during {…}
A number of major figures of the opera world have received major distinctions as part of the King’s Birthday Honours. Opera North’s general director Richard Mantle will be knighted while conductor Ivor Bolton will be a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (OBE). Finally, soprano Lucy Crowe and tenor Nicky Spence will be Officers of the Order of {…}
A recorded speech before the performance of “Aquiles en Esciros,” explained to the audience that this opera production reached its final stage rehearsals when the pandemic closed down the theatre for months. Not knowing how the situation would develop, the theater kept the sets on the stage for weeks before dismantling them. The opera composed by Francesco Corselli premiered in Madrid {…}
(Credit: Ben Wright Photography) This year marked the 100th anniversary of the renowned Salzburg Festival in Austria. A critical milestone for the festival, they chose to still responsibly present the event this summer, albeit with a severely reduced program and heightened safety and security in response to the global pandemic. British conductor Ivor Bolton lead the Mozarteumsorchester Salzburg performing a {…}
(Credits: Gregor Hohenberg/Sony / Rachel Harnisch official website / LA Opera official website / Deutsche Oper am Rhein official website) Stadtcasino Basel has announced its 2020-21 season. For the purpose of this article we will focus only on the vocal works. Here is the full rundown. Baritone Christian Gerhaher will perform works by Schoeck, Moser, and Schubert. Heinz Holliger conducts {…}