Is art merely a form of entertainment or can it serve a greater purpose? Many people believe the latter is true although it’s possible that they are deluding themselves in order to partake in something they enjoy. It’s a question that can be debated forever. It came to mind for me this past week when I attended Lawrence Brownlee’s “Cycles {…}
The opera world has a plethora of great black artists dominating more than ever before. Taking the baton from past generations, the new singers have simply made their presence felt even more prominently than ever before. Whether it be redefining the ranges of both tenors or sopranos, or the awesome lows of basses and mezzos, this new generation is undeniably filled {…}
Fans of bel canto opera were treated nearly a year ago to the first mounting of “Norma” at Lyric Opera of Chicago in 20 years with a dream cast that included Sondra Radvanovsky in the title role. Those fans have waited since the 1991-92 season to see Bellini’s final work, the masterful “I Puritani,” which I saw Saturday night in {…}
The LA Philharmonic has announced its 2018-19 season featuring some of the greatest stars in the world. For this season announcement, we will solely concentrate on the operatic and vocal events. Take a look. Baroque The LA Phil kicks off its baroque series with “L’arpeggiata” featuring musical director Christina Pluhar, soprano Céline Scheen, male soprano Vincenzo Capezzuto, and dancer Anna Dego. The concert will {…}
Lawrence Brownlee is one of the great bel canto tenors of this generation, singing the works of Donizetti, Rossini, and Bellini, among others, to tremendous critical success around the globe. He is currently in the midst of a run in one of his signature roles as Arturo in Bellini’s “I Puritani” at the Lyric Opera of Chicago and prepping for {…}
The 2018-19 Paris Opera will celebrate a double anniversary including the signing, in 1669, of the letters patent authorizing Perrin to establish an Academy of Opera – rapidly named the Royal Academy of Music and that of the inauguration of the Opéra Bastille in 1989. The season will feature a number of new productions, classic revivals, and world premieres. It {…}
The Houston Grand Opera is primed for an exciting 2018-19 season after a tumultuous fall of 2017. Combining major classics with some unique modern works. What makes these productions all the more exciting are the artists themselves. And the company did a tremendous casting job this season. Here are the five artists that will make some major headlines this season {…}
Following the world premiere of the “Cycles of My Being” at Opera Philadelphia, Lyric Unlimited, a division of Lyric Opera of Chicago will present the work. The new song cycle explores the realities of life as a black man in America and was composed by Tyshawn Sorey with lyrics by Terrance Hayes. Tenor Lawrence Brownlee will perform the cycle in a solo recital with pianist Myra Huang on Thursday, Feb. {…}
Opera Philadelphia has announced a new song cycle written for Artistic Advisor tenor Lawrence Brownlee. The company announced that the song cycle will explore the realities of life as a black man in America and will be showcased in a special one-night-only event on Feb. 20. The cycle, entitled “Cycles of My Being,” was composed by Tyshawn Sorey with text by Terrance Hayes. {…}
The Harris Theater for Music and Dance in association with Lyric Unlimited has announced its fourth annual “Beyond the Aria” showcase for 2017-18. Per the company’s website, “this highly-acclaimed series features intimate performances by celebrated singers from Lyric Opera of Chicago paired with rising stars from the Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center.” This year the showcase will {…}
Rossini’s “Le Comte Ory” has had somewhat of a revival in recent years thanks to the influx of great Rossini tenors such as Juan Diego Flórez, Javier Camarena, and Lawrence Brownlee, among others. The comedy, which premiered on August 20, 1828, was the composer’s final comedy and penultimate work, followed by the dramatic “Guillaume Tell.” As such, it features trademarks {…}
