Missy Mazzoli and Royce Vavrek have released a new music video for their opera “Proving Up.” The video features John Moore singing the prologue to the opera and was shot by the creative team late this summer at a historic sod house on location in Nebraska and South Dakota. “Proving Up” tells the story of a pioneer family’s failed plight to {…}
Star opera and Broadway performer, Zachary James, announced the December release of his debut visual album, “CALL OUT.” The album showcases the new compositions of 11 female composers with text ranging from Twitter to Edgar Allan Poe. The visual album takes its cue from innovative predecessors such as The Beatles’ “Yellow Submarine” and “Hard Days Night,” Pink Floyd’s “The Wall,” {…}
(Credits: Opéra National de Paris official website / Chen Reiss official website / Harlequin Agency official website) The Royal Opera House Covent Garden has announced its fall program schedule. For the purposes of this article, we will focus only on vocal works. “4/4” is an evening of opera that has been curated by Director of Opera Oliver Mears and features {…}
This week, three world premiere recordings are being released while two classic operas are being made accessible on the market. Here is a look at the three albums you can stream this week and two DVDs that not to be missed. Voire Dire RedHouse Music will release the North American release of the original-cast album of composer Matthew Peterson and {…}
Pentatone has announced that it will be releasing the debut recording of Missy Mazzoli and Royce Vavrek’s “Proving Up.” The release, which is set for August 21, 2020, will feature the original cast recording from Opera Omaha. Those cast members include Michael Slatter, John Moore, Talise Trevigne, Abigail Nims, Cree Carrico, and Andrew Harris. The opera was co-commissioned by the {…}
OPERA America has announced the nine companies that will be awarded $100,000 in grants for commissioning operas by female composers. The recipients include Beth Morrison Projects for Du Yun’s “In Our Daughter’s Eyes,” which is written by Michael Joseph McQuilken; Boston Lyric Opera for Ellen Reid and librettist Christopher Oscar Peña’s “The Desert Inn;” Guerilla Opera for “HER: alive / {…}
The Guggenheim will be presenting two new virtual commissions in their “Works & Process” series, in partnership with the Metropolitan Opera. “Let Me Freeze Again to Death,” by Missy Mazzoli, is an electronically- composed work which includes samples from Henry Purcell’s “What Power Art Thou,” also known as “The Cold Song,” from “King Arthur.” Vocals for this work are done {…}
We’re starting to see the world open up slowly in some countries and rapidly in others. But the performing arts world isn’t quite opening at the same pace with few organizations back in the full swing of things. As a result, streaming options are ever-prevalent. So as we move into the summer months, here is a look at what operas {…}
(Credit: Frances Marshall) “Opera in the Times of COVID” is an interview series in collaboration with photographer Frances Marshall of Marshall Light Studio. We talk to notable figures from around the opera world to get their perspective on how they feel these challenging times may change opera’s present and future. Missy Mazzoli is one of the great opera composers of {…}
(Credit: Marylene Mey) Works & Process at the Guggenheim has announced that it will be granting $40,000 in commissioning funds to major artists that have featured in its programs over the years via Virtual Commissions. The aim of the Virtual Commissions program is for the artists to create new works, all less that five minutes in length, that will be {…}
The Metropolitan Opera collaboration with the Brooklyn Academy of Music on Missy Mazzoli and Royce Vavrek’s “Breaking the Waves” has been canceled. The opera, which was scheduled to be performed on June 23- 30, 2020, featured a cast comprised of Sydney Mancasola as Bess McNeill, Wallis Giunta as Dodo, and Duncan Rock as Jan. “Breaking the Waves” would have featured {…}