For this week’s word search, we turn our attention to the great interpreters of Ponchielli’s “La Gioconda.” Instructions: You are free to solve the word search directly on your mobile or desktop device; just click the first and last letter of each word for it to appear on the screen. For those using a mobile device, we highly recommend turning {…}
When the the Gran Teatre del Liceu announced that legendary octogenarian Italian regista Pier Luigi Pizzi would be directing a new production of “La Gioconda” with Iréne Theorin making her title role debut, it was on paper at least, a must-see event. Unfortunately the parchment tended to perforate even before the prima when the celebrated Swedish diva canceled and second-cast {…}
For the average older music lover, “Dance of the Hours” invariably conjures up images of Walt Disney’s plump pirouetting hippos in “Fantasia.” Or possibly Allan Sherman’s summer-camp horror story “Hello Mudda, Hello Fadda.” Any connection to Amilcare’s Ponchielli’s very grand opera “La Gioconda” would more likely be left to the erudition of the panel on the Metropolitan Opera quiz. “Gioconda” {…}
Iréne Theorin has canceled the opening night performance of “La Gioconda” on April 1, 2019 at the Gran Teatre del Liceu. The Liceu press office announced that due to illness Theorin would not be able to sing the opening night. As a result, Anna Pirozzi will open the production in the title role making her role debut. Due to the cast {…}
Ponchielli’s “La Gioconda” is one of the staples of the dramatic soprano repertoire and is considered one of the most difficult roles in the repertoire. It is also a difficult opera to present on stage and for that reason throughout the past years it has increasingly become a rarity in the standard repertoire. Now, 14 years after its last presentation, {…}
OperaVision will start streaming La Monnaie’s production of “La Gioconda” on Feb. 12, 2019. Béatrice Uria-Monzon headlines in the title role while Silvia Tro Santafé takes on Laura. Franco Vassallo is Barnaba and Ning Liang is La Cieca. Finally, Jean Teitgen is Alvise. Stefano La Colla is Enzo. The stream kicks off at 7 p.m. local time. That’s around 1 p.m. {…}
It’s a big return for María José Montiel. The Spanish mezzo-soprano, who is recognized throughout Spain, has forged a career in opera, recitals, and concerts and has become one of the country’s most acclaimed classical singers of her generations. But rarely has she traversed the Atlantic to perform in the United States. Her last appearances in the States have been {…}
Amilcare Ponchielli, born on August 31, 1834, was a compositional child prodigy. He was born in Paderno Fasolaro and was admitted to the Milan Conservatory at age nine on a scholarship he earned. By the age of 10 he already written his first symphony and a few years after leaving the conservatory, he wrote his first opera. His second work, {…}
Amilcare Ponchielli’s “La Gioconda,” which had its world premiere on April 8, 1876, has never been a major staple of the repertoire. In the mid-1900s, the work, which was written by Arrigo Boito, was a vehicle for star sopranos and tenors due to its expansive arias and endlessly melodic passages. But in recent years, the work has garnered less interest {…}
Victor Hugo, born on Feb. 26, 1802, was one of the great French writers of the 19th century. Many know him as the author of “Les Miserables,” which was then adapted to the famed musical. Or others might recognize his work “Notre Dame de Paris,” in its English title “The Hunchback of Notre Dame.” He is well-noted for the populism {…}
Arrigo Boito, born on Feb. 24, 1842, has marked his space in the opera world mainly through his opera “Mefistofele.” He didn’t get a chance to create much other music, his final work, “Nerone,” never coming to full fruition. But he did leave his mark in other major ways. Here is a look at his most famous works, outside of {…}