Premiere Opera Foundation & NYIOP 2019 International Vocal Competition Review: Finals Concert

Saturday, December 7, 2019, saw the finals concert of Premiere Opera Foundation and NYIOP’s International Vocal Competition. The 20 finalists gathered in the resonant First Christian Science Church to share their artistic gifts before a live audience and a panel of distinguished judges, including Paul Hopper of the Metropolitan Opera, Gerald Martin Moore of the Glyndebourne Festival, Pamela Walsh of {…}

Dec 9, 2019

Metropolitan Opera 2019-20 Preview: Will Liverman Set to Make History In Cast Starring Kathryn Lewek, David Portillo, Joélle Harvey

(Credit: Richard Termine / Met Opera) The Met is set to revive Julie Taymor’s “The Magic Flute” on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2019. The opera will be headlined by a wide-ranging cast of familiar and new faces. Queens and Kings Kathryn Lewek will reprise her Queen of the Night for the fifth season of her career. To date it is the {…}

Nov 26, 2019

The Children’s Philharmonic of New Jersey To Perform ‘The Magic Flute’

The Children’s Philharmonic of New Jersey is set to present Mozart’s “The Magic Flute”during this holiday season. The performance, set for Dec. 15 at The First Presbyterian Church of Verona, will feature Mozart’s final masterpiece in an English-language translation. Among the performers will be music students aged 6-12. The opera will star The Children’s Philharmonic’s Season Artists including Joseph Mayon {…}

Nov 25, 2019

Ryan McKinny Replaces Davide Luciano in Title Role of ‘Don Giovanni’ At Lyric Opera of Chicago

(Credit: Jiyang Chen) Bass-baritone Ryan McKinny will replace Davide Luciano in the final three performances of Lyric Opera of Chicago’s production of “Don Giovanni.” Luciano was originally scheduled to perform between Dec. 3-8 but, per the Lyric Opera of Chicago’s announcement, the baritone has suffered a torn muscle. McKinny recently debuted the title role of the famed Mozart opera at {…}

Nov 24, 2019

The Juilliard School 2019-20 Review: Così fan tutte

(photo credit: Richard Termine) The Juilliard School opened the 2019-20 opera season with a refreshing and intimate interpretation of Mozart’s “Così fan tutte.” The overall production under the direction of David Paul evoked an immediate realization of why Mozart may have chosen Lorenzo Da Ponte’s libretto based on the effective means of humor to challenge any serious contemplation of the {…}

Nov 22, 2019

Susan Graham, Angel Blue, Tamara Wilson Among Major Stars of Tanglewood 2020 Season

Tanglewood has announced its 2020 slate, which is, as per usual, filled with some of the most recognized artists on the planet. For the purposes of this article, we will focus on opera related programming. Angel Blue will make her company debut in the Opening Night at Tanglewood concert alongside the Boston Symphony Orchestra under the musical direction of Ken-David {…}

Nov 21, 2019

Los Angeles Opera 2018-19 Review: The Magic Flute

(Photo: Cory Weaver) Having already seen Los Angeles Opera’s 2013 co-production with Berlin’s Komische Oper and live-animation company 1927 of “The Magic Flute,” it was impossible not to look forward to its return this season at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion on Saturday night, November 16th. It was not disappointing in the least, but ultimately a very different experience. Much of {…}

Nov 20, 2019

Metropolitan Opera 2019-20 Review: Le Nozze di Figaro

(Photo Credit: Marty Sohl / Met Opera) On Nov. 16, 2019, the Metropolitan Opera premiered this season’s production of Mozart’s “Le Nozze di Figaro.” Amidst the modern set of Richard Eyre’s production, the stellar cast of artists brought no shortage of laughter while delivering a musically splendid performance. Making his conducting debut with the company was Antonello Manacorda who was {…}

Nov 19, 2019

Pensacola Opera To Present New ‘Don Giovanni’

The Pensacola Opera in Florida is set to present Mozart’s operatic masterpiece “Don Giovanni” at the Saenger Stage on Jan. 24 and 26, 2020. The opera will return in a new production created by Papermoon Opera Productions. Stage director Fenlon Lamb will be set in the Art Deco period of the 1920s and 1930s. The sets and costumes will also {…}

Nov 14, 2019

High School Students In Buenos Aires To Mount Mozart’s ‘Bastien und Bastienne’

(Credit: Ópera en Argentina / Noelia Pirsic) Students from the Colegio Liceo 9 Santiago Derqui de Belgrano in Buenos Aires, Argentina will present Mozart’s “Bastien und Batienne” on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2019. The performance, which marks the second straight year that students put on an opera by Mozart as part of the “Liceópera” program, will take place at the Centro {…}

Nov 14, 2019

San Francisco Conservatory of Music To Present Mozart / Strauss Double Bill

The San Francisco Conservatory of Music Opera will present Mozart’s “The Impresario” and the prologue to Strauss’ “Ariadne auf Naxos” on Nov. 21 and 22, 2019. The performances will take place at the Caroline H. Hume Concert Hall and will be directed by Heather Mathew, who is the Associate Program Director of the Opera and Musical Theatre department at the {…}