Who could outshine the great Javier Camarena singing “La Favorite” on the stage of the famous Donizetti festival? A consummate master of Bel Canto, singing the role of the head-over-heels-in-love novice, leaving the monastery to meet the woman of his dreams. Ah, we were certainly hooked on it. And yet, this year in Bergamo, the audience had to prepare to {…}
(Credit: Michele Monasta) On Nov. 18, the Donizetti Opera Festival will open its 2022 festival with “La Favorite.” The opera is rarely performed but has been a showcase for many mezzo-sopranos in the history of opera. For this new production, Annalisa Stroppa will return to Bergamo and make her role debut as Léonor. The mezzo, who first sang with the {…}
The Donizetti Opera Festival has announced the three titles for the 2022 edition. The festival, which is set to take place in November and December, will present a new critical edition of “La favorite,” by Rebecca Harris Warrick from Ricordi. Music Director Riccardo Frizza will direct the operatic masterpiece. The second title for the season will be “L’aio nell’imbarazzo” in {…}
(Credit: Image provided by AVA) The Academy of Vocal Arts is set to present Donizetti, Royer, and Vaëz’s “La Favorite” this February. This is the first time that the institution is presenting the work, which will appear at the Helen Corning Warden Theater on Feb. 15, 18, 20, and 22. The production, which will be directed by Gregory Boyle and {…}
The Houston Grand Opera has announced a cast change for Donizetti’s “La Favorite.” The company revealed that Michael Spyres will sing the role of Fernand replacing Lawrence Brownlee. The performance will mark Spyres’ debut at the Houston Grand Opera. Spyres is set to also make his Metropolitan Opera debut in “La Damnation de Faust” this month alongside Elina Garanca and {…}
(Credit / Source: Jamie Barton Official Website / Paul Schirnhofer) Full disclaimer – it has been quite a while since a weekend of opera has been packed with so many incredible opportunities around the continent. To whittle it down to five was a tall order and only almost impossible. So for this addition, we will not only include our top {…}
The Houston Grand Opera has announced that conductor Christophe Rousset has withdrawn from the company’s premiere of “La Favorite” due to personal reasons. In his stead, Houston Grand Opera Artistic and Musical Director Patrick Summers will take over, leading all five performances of the run. The production kicks off on Jan. 24 and runs through Feb. 9, 2020. It will {…}
The Houston Grand Opera has announced its 2019-20 season which includes seven operas, including five new productions, one world premiere, and one company premiere. The season kicks off with Verdi’s “Rigoletto” in a new production by Tomer Zvulun. The famed Italian work will feature Brian Mulligan in the title role and Mané Galoyan and Arturo Chacón-Cruz as Gilda and the {…}
Donizetti’s “La Favorite” has often been recognized as one of his best, though it hasn’t always had a firm place in the standard repertory. It had its world premiere on Dec. 2, 1840 at the Académie Royale de Musique. The work actually borrows heavily from “L’Ange de Nisida” when Donizetti was forced to give a prominent mezzo role for his {…}
Apart from the onslaught of syphilis, 1840 was a good year for Gaetano Donizetti. He become the first composer to have three operas (“La Fille du Régiment”, “Lucrezia Borgia,” and “La Favorite”) debut in three different theaters in Paris within a period of less than 12 months. The last of the trifecta was written specifically for Rosine Stolz (née Victoire Noël) {…}
Stephen Costello has long been one of the leading lyric tenors of his generation. His vocal beauty and stage presence have brought great acclaim and his vast repertoire has also shown his virtuosic power. This week Costello makes a major house debut, as well as a big role debut that will once again show the diversity that Costello has to {…}
