Making its premiere on December 1st, 1956, Leonard Bernstein’s “Candide” is adapted from a novella of the same name written by the Enlightenment-era philosopher Voltaire. Being a comic operetta, it satirizes the prevailing attitudes of Voltaire’s time, particularly those of the church and of monarchism. Playwright and librettist Lillian Hellman saw clear parallels between the Inquisition of Voltaire’s time and {…}
Twenty-eight years ago, on Nov. 9, 1989, the Berlin Wall came crashing down in a moment that will always go down in history for its political significance. The moment also had major musical significance as it showcased Leonard Berstein leading a performance of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. Bernstein controversially had the word “Freheit (freedom)” replace “Freude (joy)” in the text of {…}
Leonard Bernstein celebrates his 99th birthday on this day August 25, and his influence in the world of music is just as strong today as it was throughout his incredible life. One of the great conductors of all time, he was also a gifted composer that created a number of memorable works of art, including his famed “Candide.” And while {…}
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 {…}
This week we continue our celebration of pride month. We’ve now looked at some of the most popular LGBT operas and commemorated Harvey Milk and Stonewall. Now OperaWire looks at some of the legendary composers in opera and classical music who were part of the LGBT community. Some of these composers were unfortunately never able to be open about their {…}
Some of the world’s greatest opera stars will appear at the San Francisco Performances in 2017-18 as part of the company’s vocal series. First up on the slate is Isabel Leonard who is slated to pay tribute to Leonard Bernstein as part of his Centennial celebration. The performance takes place on Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017, at the Herbst Theatre. Three {…}
Lyric of Kansas City’s 2017-18 got its announcement earlier this week, the company announcing that it would be showing five works in addition to two events. The company will kick off its season with a production of Tchaikovsky’s operatic masterwork “Eugene Onegin” with performances on Sept. 30, October 4, 6 and 8. The work will be directed by Tomer Zvulun {…}
The New York City Opera kicks off its season on Friday Jan. 6, with a performance of Leonard Bernstein’s “Candide” at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Rose Theater. The run will feature a total of 10 performances, including two matinees, two late afternoon shows and six evening performances. The first set of shows kick off on January 6-8. After a short {…}
The New York City Opera has just added four performances to its upcoming run of Leonard Bernstein’s “Candide,” citing popular demand. The opera was originally scheduled for performances from January 6 through 12, but four additional presentations have from Jan. 13-15. The opera will be directed by legendary director Harold Prince, best known for his work on Broadway where he {…}