Former Principal Clarinetist of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra Joseph Rabbai has passed away at the age of 81. According to Joffe Woodwinds’ Facebook page, Rabbai died of Heart surgery. In a statement, the organization said, “Joe Rabbai was a longtime friend, teach and colleague and someone who I dearly loved. He passed away this morning as a result of complications {…}
(Credit: Evan Zimmerman) At one time or another, artists face this question: what to do with the physical possessions accumulated during their careers, especially if they might be helpful to future generations? In soprano Renée Fleming’s case, she decided to call on The Juilliard School, where she received her postgraduate training. “Most artists have a relationship with their alma mater {…}
Former Metropolitan Opera Orchestra Clarinet player James Ognibene has passed away. Ognibene obtained his degrees from Indiana University and Youngstown State University’s Dana School of Music and studied with Robert Marcellus, Earl Bates, and Anthony Gigliotti as well as bass clarinetists Al Zetzer and Larry Bocanner. He went on to participate in the Spoleto, Grand Teton, and Bard Music Festivals {…}
(Credit: Teatro Massimo di Palermo) Opera in Europe continues to flourish with performances around Italy bringing mass audiences and acclaimed singers in some of their signature roles. This week the Teatro Massimo di Palmero opened its “Cavalleria Rusticana” with Aleksandra Kurzak making her role debut as Santuzza and Roberto Alagna in his signature Turiddu. It is a big week for {…}
(Image source: Met Opera Official Website) Roberto Alagna and Aleksandra Kurzak continue the Metropolitan Opera’s “Met Stars Live in Concert” series on August 16, 2020. The event, which will begin at 1:30 p.m. ET, will feature the duo live outdoors from the Château de la Chèvre d’Or, overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, in Èze, France. The program, which will feature the Vienna Morphing Quintet, will include {…}
The Metropolitan Opera has announced Week 22 of its nightly streams, which will feature classic works by Puccini, Verdi, Bizet, and Wagner. Here’s a rundown of the operas you can check out all week long. Monday, August 10 – Puccini’s Manon Lescaut Starring Karita Mattila, Marcello Giordani, and Dwayne Croft, conducted by James Levine. From February 16, 2008. Tuesday, August 11 {…}
Thirty years ago, in June 1990, opera lovers were glued to their television screens for four consecutive weekday evenings as they experienced what Richard Wagner always intended: a consecutive-evening presentation of “Der Ring des Nibelungen.” Of course, his wish for four nights in a row was not realistic for the stage, given the demands it would place on musicians and {…}
We are reaching an interesting point in the summer for the opera world. Europe has essentially returned to “normalcy” as far as performances go. That also means an increasing lack of online content for operagoers from Europe’s biggest houses. Meanwhile, the rest of the opera world is in a transitional phase. With most companies preparing for digital starts to their {…}
(Credit: Andrew Eccles) Renée Fleming is set to return to the Metropolitan Opera in 2022. In an article by the New York Times, the superstar soprano, who has not performed in a production with the company since 2017, revealed that she will appear in Kevin Puts’ new adaptation of “The Hours.” She will interpret the role of Clarissa, performing alongside {…}
The Metropolitan Opera has announced the 21st week of its nightly streams. This week’s slates will feature a number of notable artists as well as performances dating between 1992 through 2020. Monday, August 3 – Mozart’s The Magic Flute Starring Ying Huang, Erika Miklósa, Matthew Polenzani, Nathan Gunn, and René Pape, conducted by James Levine. From December 30, 2006. Tuesday, August {…}
As the Met Chorus Artists Emergency Grant Fundraiser nears the final week of its campaign, the generosity of its patrons and partners has made itself clear through a recent rise in donations. In the past week alone, Rolex has made a donation of $250K in a show of support for artists whose contracts with the Met have been affected by {…}