(Credit: © S. Vinnik Photography) The Washington National Opera’s is set to present Saint-Saëns’s “Samson and Delilah” in a new production. The production is set star J’Nai Bridges in her WNO and role debuts as Delilah and Roberto Aronica in his WNO debut. The cast will also feature rising star baritone Noel Bouley, who makes his WNO and role debut as the {…}
(Credit: Sasha Vasiljev / Mathias Bothor, Deutsche Grammophon) The Festival Aix-en-Provence has just announced the program for 2020 season, which will include a total of six works. The season will open with Berg’s opera “Wozzeck,” starring Christian Gerhaher, Anja Kampe, Daniel Brenna, Peter Hoare, Brindley Sherratt, Evan LeRoy Johnson, J’Nai Bridges, Alexander Kiechle, Tomasz Kumięga, and Graham Clark. Sir Simon {…}
On Sunday, Jan. 19, 2020, the Houston Grand Opera will present “Giving Voice,” a concert presented by tenor Lawrence Brownlee. The performance will be live streamed via YouTube and is set to feature J’Nai Bridges, Nicole Heaston, Reginald Smith Jr., and Russell Thomas. Kevin Miller will be at the piano. The concert was developed by Brownlee in association with the {…}
On November 24, 2019, audiences gathered at the Metropolitan Opera to pay tribute to the life and career of Jessye Norman. The event comprised of musical performances, video highlights of Jessye’s performances, and statements from her family, friends, and colleagues. First among these highlights were two clips of Norman singing “Amazing Grace,” from her performances at the 1997 Presidential Inauguration {…}
(Credit: Karen Almond / Met Opera) The Met Opera’s Live in HD series for the 2019-20 season continues this Saturday, Nov. 23, 2019 with a transmission of Philip Glass’ “Akhnaten.” The broadcast, which kicks off 12:55 p.m. Eastern time and is set to end a little past 4 p.m. local time. It will star Anthony Roth Costanzo, Dísella Lárusdóttir, Aaron {…}
Philip Glass has a solid trajectory at the Metropolitan Opera. Though few of his operas have had major representation at the hallowed house, their scant performances have tended to be major successes, often flanked by fantastically conceived productions that manage to get the utmost of his meditative masterworks. “Satyagraha” remains one of the great achievements in the Peter Gelb era, {…}
The Metropolitan Opera has announced that it will be hosting a celebration in honor of legendary soprano Jessye Norman on Sunday, Nov. 24, 2019. Norman passed away on Sept. 30, 2019. The event, which will be open to the public, will feature perforamcnes from leading artists as including J’Nai Bridges, Lise Davidsen, Leah Hawkins, Latonia Moore, and Eric Owens. There {…}
(Credit: LA Opera) This week the Metropolitan Opera will present the New York premiere of Philip Glass’ “Akhnaten,” the third Glass opera in the company’s repertoire. Among those appearing in the hotly anticipated Met premiere is rising mezzo-soprano J’Nai Bridges. Bridges has become one of the most important exponents of contemporary music, being featured in prominent productions of “Satyagraha” and {…}
(Credit: Richard Hubert Smith / ENO) When it opens this Friday, “Akhnaten” will be but the third Philip Glass opera to ever open at the Metropolitan Opera. In sum there will be eight performances of the opera, bringing the total of Glass opera performances at the famed house to 34. The first opera by the Academy Award nominated composer to {…}
Composer and pianist Damien Sneed is set to showcase his new opera “Our Journey: 400 Years From Africa to Jamestown,” at Carnegie Hall on Friday, Oct. 11, 2019. The world premiere performance will star mezzo-soprano J’Nai Bridges and baritone Will Liverman alongside the Chorus Le Chateau and the Sphinx Virtuosi Orchestra. The opera highlights the challenges and difficulties that Africans {…}
(Credit: Gran Theatre del Liceu/Bayerische Staatsoper/Metropolitan Opera) This weekend is stacked with a number of new productions and revivals with some of the biggest stars. Here is a look at seven works we think are unmissable. Guillaume Tell – Chorégies d’Orange, France Nicola Alaimo takes on Rossini’s final opera, a work that has become his signature. He is joined by {…}