Long Beach Opera will be hosting a set of five free community programs in a series called “Community Conversations,” inspired by LBO’s 40th anniversary season theme of Justice. The series compliments two current LBO productions: Philip Glass’s “In the Penal Colony,” and Anthony Davis’s “The Central Park Five.” The program “will feature keynote speakers, panel discussions, live performances…and audience engagement opportunities {…}
Long Beach Opera has announced that Jennifer Rivera will be its Executive Director and CEO. Rivera, who performed around the world as a mezzo-soprano for several decades, was a former winner of the Debut Artist of the Year by the New York City Opera. She also obtained two Grammy nominations and even won the Helpmann Award. She was also an {…}
On June 2, 2018, the Long Beach Opera will hold a concert to celebrate the 20th anniversary of its Artistic Director Andreas Mitisek. The concert, entitled “The Best of 20” will feature scenes from over 60 of the director’s best productions for the company. Mitisek became the company’s principal conductor in 1998 and then went on to take his current {…}
At a matinee performance in the Warner Grand Theater, San Pedro, California, on May 13, 2018, Long Beach Opera (LBO) presented Swiss composer Frank Martin’s secular oratorio “The Love Potion (“Le Vin Herbé”)” as an opera. Based on Joseph Bédier’s early twentieth century “Le Roman de Tristan et Iseut,” the musical work was first performed in Zurich in 1942. Although {…}
The Long Beach Opera has announced its 2018-19 season, which is also the company’s 40th anniversary season and the 20th of Artistic and General Director Andreas Mitisek. The season kicks off with “Three Tales by Beryl Korot & Steve Reich” on Nov. 3, 2018. The documentary video opera emphasizes three events of the 20th century – the Hindenburg explosion, the {…}
This week’s picks are all about debuts. We’re talking about house debuts for artists, house debuts for operas, and in one case a role and house debut all in one. It’s going to be a fun weekend with the biggest challenge likely coming down to where you want to be on Saturday night. Orfeo ed Euridice – Florida Grand Opera {…}
OPERA America has announced the grant awards for 11 opera companies through the Repertoire Development Grants program, supported by The Opera Fund. A total of $225,000 was awarded to 11 opera companies including the Metropolitan Opera’s upcoming opera “Eurydice” by composer Matthew Aucoin and librettist Sarah Ruhl. The work will be based on the play by Sarah Ruhl and tells the Orpheus story from the perspective of {…}
The Long Beach Opera has announced that the new production of “The Black Cat” has been postponed. The company announced in a press release that due to logistical challenges it had opted to move the production to its 2018-19 season. Performances were originally scheduled for Jan. 13, 20 and 21, 2018 and as a result, subscribers and single ticket buyers have been {…}
Another operatic weekend. Another set of opening performances around North America. The big one on the radar is “Samson et Dalila” at the Dallas Opera, which is set to star Olga Borodina. The opera opens on Friday with another performance set for Sunday. Houston Grand Opera opens its production of “La Traviata” on Saturday. Additionally, the Florentine Opera opens its {…}
As we get deeper and deeper into the fall season, opera lovers are finding themselves with more and more options around the United States. Here is a look at the offerings for this second weekend of the month. First off, let’s kick off with the major openings. On Saturday, Los Angeles Opera opens its production of “Nabucco (the company also {…}
With the summer underway, the opera world remains in full swing. Opera in Ozarks is the big company to make headlines this weekend as the company showcases two performances. “Le Nozze di Figaro” gets a look on Friday while “Susannah” gets a showcase on Saturday. Wolf Trap Opera also gets a major showcase with “La Pietra del Paragone” on Friday {…}
