CD / DVD Releases – Week of Sept. 18: Rolando Villazón, Thomas Hampson, Strauss, Jake Heggie & A Baroque Specialist Take Centerstage

After a week of releases dominated by Maria Callas, European opera lovers are getting a ton of options for quality recordings from the world’s greatest artists. In the US, one major CD release will steal headlines. Duets Rolando Villazón and Ildar Abdrazakov’s new duets, conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin will arrive on shelves in the US this week and features duets {…}

Aug 1, 2017

Performance Santa Fe 2017 Review – Festival of Song: Brief Encounters: Vocal Quintet & Three Short Operas Deliver Memorable Evening

On July 30, 2017, at the Scottish Rite Center, Performance Santa Fe presented a vocal quintet and 3 short operas. Fifteen-year-old Ezra Shcolnik, a graduate of Performance Santa Fe’s young artist program who currently studies at the Colburn School in Los Angeles, wrote the Quintet. Mark Adamo, Jake Heggie, and Joe Illick wrote the short operas. Maestro Illick also accompanied {…}

Jul 18, 2017

Opera Parallèle’s 2017-18 Season To Feature Leonard Bernstein, Rachel Portman and Jake Heggie

Opera Parallèle has announced its 2017-18 season. The season opens on Oct. 11 with an Up Close and Parallèle Annual Gala entitled “Make Our Garden Grow.” The gala will honor Carey Perloff, Artistic Director, American Conservatory Theater, Opera Parallèle Advisory Council Board Member, and Champion of the Arts. It will be followed by a production of Academy Award nominee Rachel Portman’s {…}

Jun 16, 2017

Carnegie Hall 2017 Review: Frederica Von Stade, Jake Heggie, Harolyn Blackwell, Credo & Dallas Street Choir Put Together Moving Concert Calling For Tolerance

This season classical music in New York experienced several firsts. The Metropolitan Opera presented “L’Amour de Loin,” the first opera composed by a woman to be seen at the Met in over a century. The newly revamped New York City Opera presented the American premiere of “Angels in America,” the first of its annual LGBTQ opera initiative to be presented {…}

Jun 13, 2017

All Walks of Life – How Frederica Von Stade, Jake Heggie & Harolyn Blackwell United Forces With Dallas Street Choir & Credo Choir At Carnegie Hall

Carnegie Hall. One of the great artistic temples in the world. A place so rich in musical history and tradition that only the greatest artists get a chance to showcase their talents on that stage. “Carnegie is one of the halls I love performing in,” soprano Harolyn Blackwell told OperaWire. “It is just standing on that stage and you think {…}

Jun 7, 2017

Merola Opera Program Announces 60th Anniversary Season for 2017

The Merola Opera Program has announced its 2017 season to commemorate its 60th anniversary, which will feature performances from some of the greatest artists in opera as well as a collaboration with the most recognized opera composer today. The season opens on June 11, 2017, with a benefit gala that will feature such Merola alums as Deborah Voigt, Julie Adams, {…}

Jun 1, 2017

Frederica Von Stade & Her Collaboration With Jake Heggie

Frederica Von Stade is one of the most beloved mezzo-sopranos. Her infectious charisma and gorgeous voice have made her a legend and a mentor for many singers. Throughout her career, she sang numerous works from Rossini, Donizetti, Cherubini, Mozart and Massenet. However, one of the collaborations that has flourished in recent years is her relationship with Jake Heggie. The first work {…}

May 10, 2017

A Chorus Comprised of Homeless To Make Carnegie Hall History Alongside Frederica Von Stade & Jake Heggie

Two great choirs and a number of great artists will join forces this June at Carnegie Hall for a concert tour called “Imagine a World – Music for Humanity.” The performance takes place on June 14, 2017, at 8 p.m. EDT. There will be a subsequent performance the next day at Washington National Cathedral. The Dallas Street Choir, which is {…}

Apr 13, 2017

12 Modern Operas That Yannick Nézet-Séguin Must Bring to the Metropolitan Opera

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 {…}

Apr 5, 2017

Metropolitan Opera to Finally Showcase Opera By Jake Heggie in 2020

The Metropolitan Opera will finally showcase an opera by Jake Heggie. Despite Heggie’s rise to operatic fame as a composer over the last decade, the Met has seemed to not notice. Until now. According to a picture in Opera Magazine taken by New York Times Reporter Zachary Woolfe, conductor Yannick Nézet Seguin will conduct “Dead Man Walking” as part of {…}

Feb 21, 2017

Cathartic Trauma – How Susan Graham Overcame the Emotional Challenges of Performing ‘Dead Man Walking’

Overcoming a traumatic experience is an arduous task that really never goes away. It leaves its mark, the smallest stimulus bringing it back with greater potency. Artists don’t always have the luxury of running away from trauma. They not only have to portray it but live it time and time again. And in the case of opera singers, they might {…}