This review is for the performance on July 14, 2018. Following a highly evocative night with “The Magic Flute” at the Estates Theatre, the Prague Summer Nights Festival put on the first of its two performances of “The Marriage of Figaro.” Whereas the work of the previous night illuminated the artists through its minimalist staging, Saturday’s performance saw the cast {…}
This review is for the performance on July 13, 2018. At the Prague Summer Nights Festival, a festival featuring young artists, the first few weeks saw a number of splendid concerts, workshops, and competitions all hosted in a city famous for its musical history. As the festival readied to draw to a close, it would do so by staging some {…}
Caramoor ended its summer festival with a special treat for opera lovers, a concert with Susan Graham, accompanied by the always-fabulous Orchestra of St. Luke’s, led by Nicholas McGegan. Once again, the weather on the leafy estate of Caramoor, with its sumptuous gardens and grounds, was a perfect match to the delightful and intriguing program. The first part of the {…}
Carol Vaness’ is one of the United States’ great sopranos of the late 20th century. Born on July 27, 1952, in San Diego, she was off and running in her mid-20s when she first appeared with the San Francisco Opera. She earned her Bachelor of Arts at the California State Polytechnic University and her Masters at California State University Northridge. {…}
The Swiss actor Bruno Ganz has pulled out of Mozart’s “Zauberflöte.” The actor was expected to appear in the upcoming production of Mozart’s work at the Salzburg Festival, but had to pull out citing poor health. As a result, he will be replaced by actor, Klaus Maria Brandauer. Ganz is an award-winning actor who is acclaimed for his role in {…}
Ever wonder what Mozart or Verdi might have thought about the changes that music took on nearly 100 years after them? It would certainly be interesting to see what they would have felt and how they might have connected to musicians of the last half-century. It would have been even more interesting to see what they felt of the direction {…}
So much is Don Juan’s tale the stuff of legend that it lends itself as easily to various interpretations as Greek myths. For every legendary story that encounters many incarnations – be it Tristan and Isolde’s love, Medea’s filicide or Romeo and Juliet – there comes a time when it is not only acceptable, but fascinating to encounter the familiar {…}
As the Metropolitan Opera company’s Summer Recital Series rolls on, the artists and crew took to Williamsbridge Oval Park in the Bronx for an afternoon of arias, duets, and a trio from some of opera’s most cherished composers. Kicking things off was tenor Gerard Schneider, singing “Questa o quella” from Verdi’s “Rigoletto.” This amorous aria made for a spirited opening, {…}
Born on June 26, 1916, baritone Giuseppe Taddei’s path to a successful career was rather unconventional. He studied in Rome and made his professional debut in “Lohengrin.” In 1942, he was conscripted into the army but returned to singing after World War II, appearing for two seasons in Vienna. He went to sing in London in 1947, followed by the {…}
Tenor Rene Barbera has announced via social media his withdrawal from Les Arts production of Mozart’s “La Clemenza di Tito.” The move comes shortly after the departure of conductor Fabio Biondi, with Barbera citing “administrative reasons” as the impetus for his own withdrawal. Barbera’s statement is as follows: “Well folks it has been quite a crazy month and this week {…}
Mozart’s operas feature some of the most nuanced, human-like characters in all of the operatic repertory. And if his characters were real humans living and breathing today, in the year 2018, chances are they’d have a smartphone attached to the palm of their hand, filled with apps that they’d use to navigate the twenty-first-century world around them. From Snapchat to {…}