(Photo credit: Jiyang Chen) In celebration of its 25th anniversary Music of Remembrance will give the world premiere of “Before It All Goes Dark,” a new opera by Jake Heggie and Gene Scheer. The creative team based the opera on “Mac’s Journey,” the true story of Gerald “Mac” McDonald, a gravely ill and deeply troubled Vietnam War veteran, which was {…}
OperaDelaware has unveiled its 2023-24 season. First up is Verdi’s “Rigoletto” in a production starring Grant Youngblood, Rachel Blaustein, Dane Suarez, Young Bok Kim, Megan Marino, and Joseph Lodato, among others. Kristen Barrett directs and Viswa Subbaraman conducts the production. There will be a microgala prior the opening performance to give audiences a chance to meet the artists of the {…}
Seattle, Washington-based Music of Remembrance (MOR) has unveiled its 2023-24 season, which remembers the victims of the Holocaust, and explores cultural vandalism with Jake Heggie and Gene Scheer’s new opera “Before it All Goes Dark.” For this article, only vocal performances are listed. MOR brings together three community organizations: University of Washington Chamber Orchestra, Northwest Boychoir, and Seattle Girls Choir {…}
This week audiences will experience new music and a number of rare pieces in the repertoire. Rising Lawrence Brownlee’s is set to release a new album “Rising,” in celebration of Black Music Month. “Rising” features a program of new songs that Brownlee commissioned from six up-and-coming African-American composers (Damien Sneed, Brandon Spencer, Jasmine Barnes, Joel Thompson, and Shawn E. Okpebholo), {…}
The Atlanta Opera has announced its 2023-24 season featuring six productions. All productions will be filmed for release on The Atlanta Opera’s Spotlight Media platform. The streaming platform is just one of the creative ways The Atlanta Opera rose to the occasion of the pandemic with innovations of lasting value and importance to future operations. It was, in part, these {…}
Opera stars Megan Marino and Michael Mayes have launched Creede Musical Arts Collective, which will have its inaugural season in 2022. The festival was founded by the duo following their 2021 residency with the Midnight Cricket Club at the Creede Hotel & Restaurant. “The Musical Arts Collective is a great opportunity to attract high-caliber artists from all over the country {…}
Santa Fe Opera has announced its 2022 festival, which will run between July 1 through August 27, 2022. The season will include five new productions, 38 performances, one world premiere, one company premiere, and an international co-production. In sum, there will be 26 artists making their debuts and another 29 returning to the company. It all kicks off with “Carmen,” {…}
Opéra National de Bordeaux has announced its rich 2021-22 season. For the purpose of this article we will focus only on vocal performances. Here is the full slate. Opera A semi-staged version of Meyerbeer‘s “Robert Le Diable” opens the season. The opera stars Erin Morley, Nicolas Courjal, Amina Edris, Nicolas Darmanin, Joel Allison, Paco Garcia, and John Osborn in the {…}
Michael Mayes and Megan Marino will join forces with two bluegrass artists to perform as a new band at The Midnight Cricket Club between May 25 through 30. Marino and Mayes, billed as “genre-mixing opera singing spouses by trade,” will team up with KC Groves and Jason Hicks as a new band. Groves will perform vocals, mandolin, guitar, and bass {…}
The Gran Teatre del Liceu has announced its 2021-22 season featuring new productions, concerts, and a special 175th-anniversary gala. Here is a look at the new season. Opera The first opera of the season is set to be Strauss’ “Ariadne auf Naxos” starring Iréne Theorin and Johanni van Oostrum sharing the title role. They will be accompanied by Samantha Hankey, {…}
On March 26, award-winning composer Evan Mack’s new album of art song, “The Travelled Road” released worldwide on all major streaming platforms. The recording came about organically after Mack invited mezzo-soprano Megan Marino and pianist John Arida to Skidmore College in New York State to noodle around and explore some ideas. Marino and Arida had worked together, and with Mack, {…}