Kathleen Battle is one of the greatest opera stars of all time. Everyone knows that her career was one of many ups and downs, the latter ultimately cost her years of her prime, but while she was at the summit of the opera world, there were few anywhere near her. Battle, born August 13, 1948, had simply too many milestones {…}
Following its opening at Austria’s Salzburg Festival, William Kentridge’s production of Wozzeck will be coming to the Metropolitan Opera in 2019. And by the looks of it, Met audiences are primed for a major treat. Shirley Apthorp of Financial Times describes the artistic direction of Kentridge’s Wozzeck as “grim sketches and animations, a return to his earlier medium of charcoal {…}
Soprano Barbara Cook has passed away at the age of 89. Cook, best known for work on Broadway, won a Tony for “The Music Man” in 1957 and received a Kennedy Center Honor in 2011. And while she dominated the musical scene, she did make some interesting appearances on the opera stage, most prominently at the Metropolitan Opera, where she {…}
Jonas Kaufmann has announced plans to return to the Metropolitan Opera. During a press conference in Sydney the tenor addressed his cancellation for the upcoming production of “Tosca” and said, “I can assure you that I offered them part of the shows, I wanted to sing there and I didn’t want to disappoint my fans in New York.” He added, {…}
Philippe Jordan is going to conduct the Met’s revival of Wagner’s “Der Ring des Nibelungen” in 2019, the New York Times has revealed. Met General Manager Peter Gelb recently confirmed that the Robert Lepage production would return for its third revival in a playbill statement from the 2016-17 season. He promised that the machine, which debuted during the 2010-11 season, {…}
Anna Netrebko graces the small screen on August 13, 2017, as PBS showcases Tchaikovsky’s “Eugene Onegin” on Great Performances. The soprano received rave reviews when the production was revived in the spring. OperaWire noted, “Netrebko’s interpretation of Tchaikovsky’s operatic masterwork was an in-your-face reminder that she is singular among modern opera’s elite superstars.” The diva is joined by Peter Mattei in {…}
Did you miss the Met’s Live in HD broadcasts courtesy of Fathom Events these past few summers? Still want to check out some HD broadcasts from the Metropolitan Opera? Well, you have a chance to do just that, at the Met. More like, right outside the Met, as the company will offer 10 free screenings in Lincoln Center Plaza from {…}
One of the greatest achievements of general manager Peter Gelb’s tenure is his Live in HD series, which has enabled audiences from around the world to experience opera in movie theaters. That undertaking has generated a tremendous following that has resulted in home video releases and encore performances, which are slated to take over coming weeks around the world. With {…}
Carlo Bergonzi, born on July 13, dominated the Italian repertoire during the middle of the 20th century, becoming one of the great interpreters of the spinto repertoire. However, despite dominating the works of numerous Italian maestros, he was best associated with the works of Verdi, his voice and elegant singing perfect for the great composer. His polished vocal line suited {…}
The Metropolitan Opera has announced that its Lindemann Young Artist Program has added five new participants and returned seven. The debutants to the program include his year’s participants starting the program include South Korean baritone Kidon Choi, Canadian mezzo Emily D’Angelo, American soprano Gabriella Reyes de Ramírez, pianist and coach Nate Raskin, and Moldovian baritone Adrian Timpau. Among those returning are American soprano Michelle {…}
Philip Glass’ “Akhnaten” is now confirmed for the Metropolitan Opera in 2019. The opera was previously rumored to appear with the company, but has now been confirmed by a New York Times article with countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo. This run of performances would be the opera’s premiere with the company and it will be staged by Phelim McDermott with Costanzo {…}