Ermonela Jaho has canceled tonight’s performance of “Madama Butterfly.” The Metropolitan Opera announced via Twitter that due to illness Jaho would not be able to perform. As a result, Inna Dukach will sing the role of Cio-Cio-San, making her Met debut. Dukach, who has been covering “Madama Butterfly” since the fall, sang the role of Cio-Cio-San in Anchorage and Atlanta. {…}
When you sing a major part of your career with one theater, you get to experience a ton of major moments in said organization’s history. Rosalind Elias, born on March 13, 1929, was such an artist, experiencing a major part of her artist life at the Metropolitan Opera. In sum, she showed up on the Met’s stage 687 times between {…}
The Metropolitan Opera has officially fired James Levine. The New York Times reported that the Met ended its association with the conductor on Monday evening after an investigation that found what the Met called credible evidence that Levine had engaged in “sexually abusive and harassing conduct.” The investigation, which opened in December, found evidence of abuse and harassment “both before {…}
The opera stage is replete with people both visible and invisible. You have the singers, the orchestra, and the conductor; arguably the most visible participants in any performance. You have your technician and other stagehands working to keep the lighting and other aspects of the production moving along swimmingly. You’ve got someone coordinating all of that. And then hidden onstage {…}
Paul Plishka has announced he will retire. The beloved Metropolitan Opera veteran told the New York Times that after this Saturday’s performance of “La Boheme,” he will call it quits. Plishka, now 76, had announced back in 2012 that he would retire but that did not work out when his colleague John Del Carlo passed away. After 50 years and what will {…}
This Saturday, audiences around the world will get a chance to see a rare performance of Rossini’s final Italian opera “Semiramide” in cinemas as part of the company’s famed Live in HD broadcast. The showcase kicks off at 12:25 p.m. EDT and will star Angela Meade in the title role alongside Elizabeth DeShong as Arsace, Ildar Abdrazakov as Assur, and {…}
Richard Strauss’ “Elektra” returned to the Metropolitan Opera on Thursday, March 1, 2018, in a hotly anticipated revival of Patrice Chéreau’s production. Last time out, the production was a smash hit, its stripped-down sets allowing for the audience to focus on the violent drama put before us. It continues to work in that vein, though its overall stillness might not {…}
For the third evening of the Metropolitan Opera’s revival of “Semiramide,” Javier Camarena has canceled. The tenor who also canceled the second performance announced on Feb. 24 that due to a cough he would not be able to sing. As a result, Robert McPherson will perform the role of Idreno, which he had previously done with the Vlaamse Opera and on tour {…}
Puccini’s “Madama Butterfly” has been a staple of the repertoire for years and at the Metropolitan Opera, it has had somewhat of a renaissance ever since Anthony Minghella’s inventive production came opened in 2006. The opera is really a showcase for a great soprano who can bring forth intense emotions and who can captivate an audience with the lead character’s suffering. For this {…}
When Strauss’ “Elektra” returns to the stage on Thursday, March 1 at the Metropolitan Opera, it will take part 109th performance with the company. The role is often considered one of the most challenging in the repertoire, if not the most difficult. The soprano is tasked with a lengthy evening with barely any rest and no intermission to aid her {…}
This weekend is jampacked with rare operas to see. No joke. With one exception, the list consists of works you probably will struggle to find productions for at any given point a year from now. So strap in and find a way to watch these five shows. (List is in alphabetical order by company). Euridice – Cantanti Project The New {…}