Tenor Andres Ramirez has passed away at age 28. Per a blog post on the Los Angeles Opera’s website, the tenor has been part of the organization’s creative family since he was 11-years-old when he sang in the LA Children’s Chorus during a performance of “Tosca.” He was also a participant in one of the first Opera Camps. He made {…}
On Sunday, May 27, 2018, Los Angeles Opera presented Giuseppe Verdi’s “Rigoletto” with a new cast of singers that was equal to those who sang the premiere. For this unusual situation, I found it necessary to return to the City of Angels for another look. Having attended a matinee performance, I write about it as our car speeds eastward away {…}
Memorial Day Weekend will not represent a major opportunity for opera lovers in North America to get a taste of their favored artform. But what little there is certainly to be appreciated. Here is a look at our weekend recommendations (in alphabetical order by company). Backwards From Winter – Center for Contemporary Opera The New York Opera Fest continues rolling {…}
Opera America has announced the recipients for the 2018 National Opera Trustee Recognition. The recipients are “Carol F. Henry, Los Angeles Opera; R. Jamison Williams, Michigan Opera Theatre; Henry Fogel, Chicago Opera Theater; and John Serrage, Opera Maine.” The award is in its 11th year and its intention is to honor “U.S. opera companies for their exemplary leadership, generosity and audience-building efforts on behalf of their respective {…}
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 {…}
The busy weekend in the US continues throughout with a number of companies continuing previously unveiled productions. Before we look at continued runs, let’s look at some of the first-timers this weekend. Among those is LA Opera’s production of “The Pearl Fishers,” which opens on Saturday with a cast that includes Nino Machaidze, Javier Camarena, and Alfredo Daza. Over in {…}
The fall opera season continues growing with more and more opera companies opening their doors. This will be the first weekend of the Metropolitan Opera’s 2017-18 season. While the company has no shows scheduled for Friday, it will have a double header of “Les Contes d’Hoffmann” on Saturday during the afternoon and “Die Zauberflöte” in the evening. The former stars {…}
More opera companies open their doors this weekend starting with the Lyric Opera of Chicago. The LOC’s first performance of the year on Saturday, Sept. 23, 2017, will be Gluck’s “Orpheus and Eurydice.” The opera stars Andriana Chuchmann, Dmitry Korchak, Lauren Snouffer, and Harry Bicket conducting. Meanwhile, Opera Philadelphia continues its festival with performances of “The Magic Flute” on Friday {…}
For an opera that’s so widely known and beloved by the public, it makes sense why the Los Angeles Opera would want to play it safe with its recent production of “Carmen.” On Sep. 9, 2017, the LA Opera opened its 2017-18 season with the Bizet masterpiece, with superstar soprano Ana María Martínez in the title role. Just four years {…}
Kelsey Grammer will make his opera debut. The TV actor will make his debut in the Los Angeles Opera’s 2017-18 production of “Candide,” which is slated to celebrate Leonard Bernstein’s centennial. Grammer will take on the roles of Voltaire, author of the 1759 satirical novella, and Dr. Pangloss, the famously upbeat guru to the book’s title character. Grammer is a 16-time Emmy {…}
It is yet another busy opera weekend across North America, with the Metropolitan Opera’s 2016-17 season, the longest running in the country, coming to a close. Here is a rundown of the companies and works they will be presenting on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. As with last weekend’s edition, we will list the companies and corresponding productions. For more information {…}