With the holiday season in full swing, the opera schedule is winding down across the country. In fact, only a few weeks ago there were over 70 performances over the weekend. This weekend the number has dropped quite drastically, Fortunately, that doesn’t mean there is no opera for the opera-craved. Here are five performances to get your fill. Le Nozze {…}
For decades Renée Fleming has been a shining star on the world’s great opera stages, none more so than the Metropolitan Opera. From her victory at the National Council Auditions in 1988 to her debut three years later to her final performance at the tail end of the 2016-17 season, Fleming was the Met’s diva. While her future as an opera star remains a {…}
After numerous accusation of sexual misconduct, James Levine has finally responded in a public statement. The conductor said, “As understandably troubling as the accusations noted in recent press accounts are, they are unfounded. As anyone who truly knows me will attest, I have not lived my life as an oppressor or an aggressor.” He continued, “I have devoted my energies to {…}
The Metropolitan Opera has announced replacements for James Levine for “Luisa Miller” and “Il Trovatore.” Macro Armiliato will lead performances of “Il Trovatore” starring Maria Agresta as Leonora, Yonghoon Lee as Manrico, and Anita Rachvelishvili as Azucena. Quinn Kelsey and Luca Salsi will share the role of Count di Luna, with Štefan Kocán and Kwangchul Youn both singing the role {…}
Emmanuel Villaume will conduct the new production of “Tosca” on New Year’s Eve. The Metropolitan Opera announced that Villaume will conduct the opening performance on Dec. 31, 2017, and Jan. 3, 6, 9, 12, 23, and 27, 2018, replacing James Levine after being suspended due to sexual misconduct. Later performances on April 21, 26 and 30, and May 4, 8 and 12, {…}
It’s going to be a busy December with the Met showcasing a number of revivals leading up to a major new production on the final day of the year. The first work to makes its return to the repertoire is one of its finest (it was even named the Greatest Opera of All Time in a recent survey) – Mozart’s {…}
After reports that James Levine allegedly molested a teenager over the course of a number of years the Metropolitan Opera has released the following statement on social media, “We are deeply disturbed by the news articles that are being published online today about James Levine. We are working on an investigation with outside resources to determine whether charges of sexual {…}
It’s December and that means that most companies are gearing up for the holiday season with the shows they put on. This week alone is proof of that with a number of major companies turning to the holiday spirit to inspire their new productions. There is even one opera making a world premiere with the theme in mind. Shockingly, there {…}
The nominations for the 2018 Grammy Awards have been announced as of Nov. 28th, 2017. This year’s list of nominees are notable for the inclusion of two works by Austrian composer Alban Berg, as well as the strong presence in the lists from the Metropolitan Opera Chorus and Orchestra. Also included in the nominees is Russian baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky, whose {…}
A performance of Verdi’s Requiem is a rather rare event at the Metropolitan Opera. That a run of the famed mass is currently underway with the company comes down to the fact that a proposed production for another opera was canceled. But the timing could not have been better. With the unfortunate passing of baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky, the Met was {…}
With the holidays coming to the fore, the opera schedule is slowly and surely growing thinner and thinner. Companies are starting to take their breaks to recoup for 2018, meaning that offerings are slimmer for operagoers. But there are performances to be thankful for as a number of companies, big and small, are putting on a show. Here are the {…}