Widely considered among the first operas, “L’Orfeo” made its premiere sometime during the 1607 Carnival season in Mantua, Italy. Though it fell out of performance shortly after the death of Monteverdi, it enjoyed a great revival in the 19th century which led to many fully-staged productions later on. The opera draws upon the Renaissance era’s many compositional techniques, melding them {…}
OperaVision will showcase Monteverdi’s “L’Orfeo” live from the New Belgrade Opera on Thursday, Jan. 4, 2018 starting at 7 p.m. local time. The opera stars Nikola Diskić in the title role, Antonia Dunjko as Euridice and Musica, Radoslava Vorgić as Prosperina and Nifa, Dragana Popović as Messaggera and Speranza, Marko Špehar as Plutone and Caronte, as well as Marijana Radosavljević, {…}
The first performance of Monteverdi’s “L’Incoronazione di Poppea” is largely unknown, though the only recorded date is from Dec. 26, 1842. The opera, one of only three from Monteverdi that has survived in its complete form, is among the first to describe actual historical subjects instead of focusing just on mythological characters. The original manuscript does not survive the two {…}
After a string of triumphant performances in music capitals across Europe, Sir John Eliot Gardiner, the Monteverdi Choir, and the English Baroque Soloists take their seven-month “Monteverdi 450” tour across the Atlantic. The tour will go to Chicago’s Joan W. and Irving B. Harris Theater for Music and Dance between Oct. 12-15 and then to New York’s Alice Tully Hall as {…}
No apologies are made for starting this review of Monteverdi’s “L’Orfeo” with a description of the venue, Vicenza’s Teatro Olimpico, which must count as one of the world’s most beautiful and architectural significant theatres. Designed by Palladio in 1580, it was described by Goethe as “a theatre based on the ancient model, but in small proportions and indescribably beautiful…”. Palladio {…}
The BBC Proms has announced its summer schedule and as always there will be a lot of offerings for opera lovers. Here is a look at what audiences can look forward to. July The BBC Proms opens with John Adam’s choral masterwork “Harmonium” on Friday, July 14, 2017, at the Royal Albert Hall in London. This concert will include the {…}
As part of Claudio Monteverdi’s 450th birthday anniversary, Sir John Eliot Gardiner is going on tour to recognize the father of opera. The tour is slated to last a whopping seven months, taking place around the globe in such countries as the UK, Germany, Poland, Austria, Switzerland, France, Italy, Spain and the USA. The tour will essentially feature performances of {…}
While there are only two new releases this week, Natalie Dessay fans will definitely be in for a surprise with her return to classical music. Natalie Dessay’ “Schubert” The eponymous soprano Natalie Dessay returns to the classical repertoire with her second album for Sony Classical. This time she takes on Schubert songs with pianist Phillippe Cassard. Some of the pieces {…}
Nikolaus Harnoncourt would have turned 87 today if not her his passing earlier in 2016. The venerated maestro, well-known as one of the pioneers of early music and historically informed performances. His was an intellect that was constantly in search of experimentation and just listening to a few minutes any of the dozens of recordings he left behind will be {…}