No doubt Musica Solis’ newest release is a labor of love initiated in 2010 by writer and musical scholar Lucy Miller Murray whose well curated selection of 15 of her own poems lies at the very heart of “Turning into Song.” Thematically, they are inspired by the likes of Paul Verlaine and French writers from the Symbolist orbit. Miller Murray {…}
On August 30, 2023, soprano Alison Saporta took to OPERA America’s Scorca Hall stage in New York City, showcasing her artistry as a recitalist. Beside her, collaborative accompanist Felix Jarrar impressed on the piano, exhibiting his talents as a composer with a new song cycle and an intriguing toccata and fugue inspired by a theme from Mozart’s Requiem. Saporta, a {…}
OPERA America Onstage has announced its 2023-24 season with a lineup of big name artists Terence Blanchard, Anthony Davis, Samantha Hankey, and Jake Heggie are just a few of the luminaries included in this year’s season. Audiences can either attend events in-person at OPERA America’s National Opera Center in New York, or watch the free livestreams. Here’s what OPERA America {…}
Seattle, Washington-based Music of Remembrance (MOR) has unveiled its 2023-24 season, which remembers the victims of the Holocaust, and explores cultural vandalism with Jake Heggie and Gene Scheer’s new opera “Before it All Goes Dark.” For this article, only vocal performances are listed. MOR brings together three community organizations: University of Washington Chamber Orchestra, Northwest Boychoir, and Seattle Girls Choir {…}
Credit: Ben VanHouten The grass was pristine. The houses lined up along manicured lawns. The street signs sparkled, and the paths swept to perfection. Around each corner and through the trees, the magnificent Golden Gate Bridge stood. Inside the Presidio Theater, a performance titled “Music of Remembrance (MOR)” featured the works “Another Sunrise” and “For a Look or a Touch” {…}
Music of Remembrance is set to tour Jake Heggie and Gene Scheer’s double bill throughout the U.S. this Spring. “Another Sunrise” and “For a Look or a Touch” will get performances in Seattle, San Francisco, and Chicago throughout May. First up is a stop at Benaroya Hall in Seattle on May 21. That will be followed up by a performance {…}
Famed mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke will appear at an upcoming concert presented by Music of Remembrance scheduled for March 19, 2023. The mezzo will perform Jake Heggie and Gene Scheer’s “Intonations: Songs from Violins of Hope.” She will appear alongside solo violinist Mikhail Shmidt, youth violinist Zoe Lonsinger. Other instrumentalists performing on this piece include violinists Artur Girsky and Elizabeth Phelps as {…}
San Francisco’s Presidio Theatre has announced its 2023 spring season. For the purposes of this article, our focus will be solely on vocal and operatic performances. The Lamplighters will present “By Georges! A Day in the Life of the Legendary Chevalier de St. Georges.” The showcase is the company’s first production from its operetta commission project. Performance Date: May 6, {…}
Photo: © Lloyd Winters Unlike ballet, which has “The Nutcracker” as a festive staple, there aren’t very many Christmas operas. “La bohème” opens on Christmas eve, and there is invariably snow, but yuletide is hardly the subject of the opera. ENO were scheduled to perform John Adams nativity oratorio “El Niño” during lockdown, but it sadly got canned. Along comes {…}
Photos by Matt Madison-Clark This review is of the July 23, 2022, Berkshire Opera Fest Performance “At the heart of what we do is produce the greatest opera at the highest level. The Berkshires is a magical place. There was a void of opera, and so here we are,” Jonathon Loy, Berkshire Opera Fest’s (BOF) Co-founder and Director of Production, {…}
On April 3, 2022, CAL PERFORMANCES presented “Sunday in the Park,” a musical celebration that filled the heart, mind, and soul for nearly two hours. Two artists of exceptional talent—Jamie Barton, mezzo-soprano extraordinaire and noted American composer and pianist Jake Heggie—offered a program ranging from Schubert and Brahms to Price and Heggie himself. The concert was a sheer and satisfying delight {…}