Watching how baritone Thomas Hampson and bass-baritone Luca Pisaroni worked together in their recent “No Tenors Allowed!” recital at Jordan Hall as part of the Celebrity Series of Boston, one thing became quite obvious – a great recital might be a singing-actor’s best possible forum for expression. For some context, I saw Pisaroni in the Met’s recent production of “Don {…}
Mozart’s “Don Giovanni” returned to the Metropolitan Opera on Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2019 in Michael Grandage’s anonymous production. It’s a staging that unfortunately offers little to Mozart’s opera (unless you just want to see some fire at one point) and likely one that no one would miss if this opera were simply set on a black stage or given in {…}
For over 10 years, bass-baritone Luca Pisaroni has been the go-to Leporello in Mozart’s “Don Giovanni,” performing the role all over the world at such companies as the Teatro alla Scala, the Metropolitan Opera, Salzburg Festival, Baden Baden Festival, Wiener Staatsoper, and at Tanglewood, among others. His interpretation has been hailed by critics as “dynamic” and “youthful” and a number of performances {…}
On January 31, the Metropolitan Opera will revive Mozart’s “Don Giovanni.” The opera will run for seven performances between January and February before returning for another five in April. Here are some fun facts about the upcoming production. The first cast will showcase four prominent Met Opera debuts. Soprano Aida Garifullina will make her hotly anticipated house debut, taking on {…}
Time In Kids Arts Initiative has announced that it will be joining forces with three major international opera stars for its “Vissi d’Amore,” a concert on Feb. 11, 2018. The event will feature bass-baritone Luca Pisaroni, Tenor Brian Jagde, and soprano Jennifer Rowley and is aimed at raising funds to continue “transforming the lives and learning of chronically disadvantaged public school {…}
While the holiday season might mean a slow-down of productions in some countries, there are still a plethora of opera productions for those so included. This weekend is dedicated to classic pieces in productions or featuring star casts. There is also one rarely performed work, that is intriguing as it is directed by one of the most acclaimed theaters in {…}
The Teatro Colón has announced its 2019 season featuring eight main stage productions, concert operas, and a number of international star-making debuts. Here is a look at what to expect next season. Mainstage Opera Maurizio Benini conducts a new production of Verdi’s “Rigoletto” directed by Jorge Takla. Fabián Veloz and Leonardo López Linares share the title role while Pavel Valuzhin and {…}
Teatro Real decided to open the 2018-19 season with Gounod’s “Faust,” an opera which have been staged only once in 2003 since the theatre reopened in 1997. The expectations were high, with a strong cast lead by the international star tenor Piotr Beczala and accompanied by Marina Rebeka and Luca Pisaroni; the young conductor Ed Ettinger was in charge of {…}
OPERA NEWS Editor in Chief F. Paul Driscoll has announced the recipients of the 14th Annual OPERA NEWS Awards. This year, the magazine will honor mezzo-soprano Rosalind Elias, stage director and designer Laurent Pelly, soprano Ailyn Pérez, bass-baritone Luca Pisaroni, and tenor Ramón Vargas. In a press statement Driscoll said, “Since the Awards’ inception in 2005, OPERA NEWS looks forward to {…}
It’s a starry weekend with many of the leading companies already back in season. This week there are a number of classics that will be shown and one major soprano will make an important role debut. Find out what we think you should see this weekend! Die Zauberflöte – La Monnaie, Belgium Romeo Castellucci’s production continues its run with a {…}
Some reading this review — perhaps many — have never been to the Tanglewood Music Festival in Lenox, Massachusetts. Much more than the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Tanglewood is a magical place; so many thrilling, historical performances and moments have taken place here. And I’ve been lucky to attend many of those performances, such as Seiji Ozawa’s {…}